DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: More than 3,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Dubai whose means of living have been heavily affected by COVID-19 have decided to just go home, seeking help from the Philippine Consulate for their repatriation.
Most of those seeking assistance were jobless OFWs with no regular food supply nor place to stay as they have been behind rent payments, it was learned
“Medyo 3,000 mahigit po ang nagme-message ng repatriation,” Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes said.
“We have received a considerable number of requests and messages for repatriation. We ask for everyone’s patience as we are still sifting through all requests. As soon as the schedules for repatriation are finalized, the consulate will inform everyone of the repatriation details,” he said.
Cortes said priority is being given to those pregnant, the seniors, those with medical conditions, as well as tourist and visit visa holders.
“Nag-aantay rin kami ng approval to purchase tickets kaya sana patience rin po ng konti. Makakarating rin po tayo. Inuuna lang po ang mga buntis at may sakit. Ginagawa po namin ang kaya namin po. Naririnig po namin kayo kung kaya’t talagang priority namin ito,” he said in a group chat with reporters.
Stranded
Cortes’ made the assurance even as a group of about 1,200 OFWs most of whose bookings, organizers said, have been filed as early as April, have remained stranded following repeated cancellations of their flight schedules.
Rachelle Sytangco (not her real name by request) said a major concern among the stranded OFWs is overstaying as the 30 days allowed for them to remain in the UAE after termination from work have almost been used up, while others already have gone beyond that grace period.
The law charges a Dh200 overstay fine for the first day and Dh100 for each day from the second day onwards. A service fee of Dh100 is also charged at the time of exit.
“Medyo nauubos na din po kasi yung 30-day grace period ng iba. Marami po overstay na dahil sa kaka-hintay ng flight,” said Sytangco.
Eased policies
The government has eased its immigration policies in light of COVID-19 measures where holders of visas that expired before March 1, 2020 have till August 18 to leave.
Those whose visas were valid from March 2 onward, on the other hand, has its validity extended till Dec. 31, 2020.
The regulations also cover visit visa holders, but not those whose employment or residency visas has been cancelled following termination of employment.
Sytangco, whose residency visa was cancelled on June 7 and who is now on a three-month visit visa that she filed for to buy more time, said she was fortunate to be able to have the needed money to extend her stay.
“Hindi po lahat kaya magbayad ng visa,” she said.
Their Facebook group, which was formed on May 21, 2020 and has a growing number of members, which stood at almost 1,200 members as of this writing, is comprised of OFWs that have booked with Philippine Airlines.
“Yung iba nagpa-refund na sa PAL, bumili na lang ng ticket sa (ibang airlines). The rest either rebooked ng August or are waiting. Almost lahat may ticket. Problem lang is wala talagang flight,” Sytangco said.
The airlines have been explaining that flight cancellations are a result of changes in in the Philippine governments COVID-19 measúres, considering quarantine procedures among other issues.
Calling DFA
Phillipe Liwaliw, one of the FB group’s admin and a flights operations officer for a private aviation company, meantime urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to put more efforts on addressing the plight of stranded OFWs.
“Gusto ko pong ipanawagan sa ating pamahalaan na bigyan ng pansin ang ating mga OFWs at wag sana silang pabayaan pagdating sa ganitong panahon. Napakalaking hirap ang epekto ng pandemic para sa mga OFWs
“Sobrang daming gustong umuwi gawa ng hirap ng buhay sa abroad dahil wala naman din tayong makukuhang financial assistance sa government natin agad-agad at hindi po siguradong lahat ay mabibigyan ng sapat na tulong,” Liwaliw said.
Liwaliw is on a three- to five-month forced leave and is now in Manila.
“Mapapalaki po gastos ko if mag-stay sa Dubai. Napilitan akong magbook ng multiple tickets dahil ilang beses naka-cancel. Magbu-book po kami ng flight tapos maka-cancel and then they will open another slot and cancel the previous booking.
“Tapos pag-rebooking po ang bagal at ang tagal po nila magprocess. So, para sa mga kababayan natin na wala naman masyadong pera pang-book kawawa talaga,” he said.
PAL explains
Agnes Pagaduan, PAL country manager – UAE, explained in a separate interview that the airline has “very limited flights.”
“This July, we only had four flights and one was chartered by a company. Hopefully in August ay madagdagan. Niri-review naman nila yan sa Manila every month,” Pagaduan said.
She explained that those whose flights have been canceled has the option to rebook, refund or convert the booking into an e-travel voucher that they can use later on, even after a year.
She said those who are holding a ticket and were cancelled between March 20 and July, need to approach PAL’s office in Dubai or Abu Dhabi for appropriate action, including refund, provided it was directly bought from the airline.
Pagaduan explained that there have been cases where refunds were taking time because the tickets were bought either from an online travel agent or paid through credit cards.
“PAL can not refund them. Yung agent ang magri-refund. Kung diretso sa PAL binili ang ticket and cash ang payment, we can automatically refund it, just give us one of two days,” Pagaduan said.
She added, “Hindi pa rin normal ang operation sa Manila office. Hindi pa rin pinapapasok ang mga tao. So may delay pero pino-process naman.”
Her advice to those who have bookings with PAL: “Mag-reach out lang kung kailangan ninyong mag-refund, rebook or travel voucher.”
The DFA has a repatriation program and has recently been able to charter a flight for over 300 OFWs.
Pagaduan said PAL has been able to accommodate the Philippine Consulate’s subsequent smaller repatriations in June.
“One hundred urgent OFW passengers ang naisakay namin in June,” she said.
There were more but Pagaduan said, “Hindi naming kaya na lahat sila i-accommodate.”
She said PAL is only allowed 350 passengers by the Interagency Task Force (IATF) in Manila.
Pagaduan said that those holding tickets may get in touch with PAL through the following numbers and email addresses:
- 04-316-6632 (Dubai) email: pr_dubai@pal.com.ph
- 02-622-2462 (Abu Dhabi) email: pr_abudhabi@pal.com.ph
The Daily Bread 