Stranded and jobless overseas Filipino workers in the UAE who have finally flown home to the Philippines through Clark International Airport said things have become more organized with representatives from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) at hand for assistance.
“OWWA was there to assist us. Pina-upo po kami and we were elated dahil nagpa-follow sila strictly ng social distancing sa pag-upo. After waiting for almost 30 minutes, we were called para sa verification ng OWWA. We gave our passports, then after around five minutes, nagdelegate na sila ng hotel for us,” Sarah Gollayan who flew home with her husband, Jose Gollayan, Jr. said.
The Gollayans arrived at Clark International Airport on board an Emirates Airline flight EK 2572 at 4:30pm of July 6. She said they were awed “kasi maayos yung sistema.”
By 10pm, she said they were already checked in at their designated hotels provided for by OWWA, whose representatives, she said, were “very organized.”
“We were escorted sa swab testing booth, immigration- baggages claiming. Ang pinakamatagal po ay yung pag-aantay ng bus na maghahatid sa min sa mga hotels. Around 8pm nakasakay kami ng bus and they provided food po. Unloading po ay medyo matagal, thorough po kasi ang pagdisinfect nila sa bawat tao. We checked in mga around 10pm na,” Gollayan narrated.
Quarantine, she also explained, was from the time of the swab testing until the results were out which took around three days. Covid testing was shouldered by OWWA, she said.
Gollayan said there were delays at the airport because “sadyang napakarami lang po nilang (OWWA) siniserbisyuhan kaya.
“We experience na hindi sila naging rude kahit super toxic na ng ginagawa nila while wearing full PPE sa gitna ng init,” she said.
Meantime, another OFW, Phillipe Liwaliw, a flights operations officer for a private aviation company, who is currently on leave without pay, has also returned home.
Thermal scanners at Dubai airport check-in
Liwaliw, who arrived June 30, 2020 on board Emirates Airlines, advised OFWs flying home not to have someone with them at the airport in Dubai “dahil di rin makakapasok ang mga kasamang maghatid.”
“Habang pumipila sa check-in ay may mga thermal scanners po na naka-tutok upon entering the area kung nasan po ang check -n counters at nag-iissue din sila ng health/sanitation travel kit,” Liwaliw shared.
He said airport authorities are strict with hand-carries “so dapat maging maingat sa na huwag mag-excess.”
At the boarding gate, Liwaliw said forms were distributed to be filled-up like travel card and health declaration.
“Marami pong civilian na pulis sa airport sa Dubai and dapat maging maingat sa social distancing. Meron din nagkoconduct ng random testing doon dahil meron po akong nakita na tinawag ng isang local nung nakita nyang parang unwell yung isang passenger,” Liwaliw further shared.
He said that upon arrival at Clark airport, OWWA personnel were on stand-by for the returning Filipinos. “Priority po nila ang mga buntis at may kasamang bata,” Liwaliw said.
While queuing in for hotel quarantine, more forms have to be filled-up including one providing information on which local government unit should the OFW be assigned,” he said. In the same
“After that, meron pila for swab testing – isang nasal at isang oral. After makuhaan ng swab sample ay proceed na po sa pagkuha ng mga bagahe na nakacheck-in at proceed na po sa respective buses para maihatid sa hotel
“Every day po may nagtse-check ng temperature and yung libreng meal po is three times a day. Nagbibigay din po sila ng tubig at kape at mga cup noodles,” Liwaliw said.
Liwaliw also booked his flight but with a different airline in May. It was twice cancelled.
Meantime, OFWs who are not OWWA members can have the services of the Department of Tourism which assigns a hotel where these OFWs can wait for the result of the swab test.
“Maximum three days only and be ready with Ph6500 pesos for hotel stay,” says a post on the Facebook chat group, Stranded OFWs in Dubai with tickets in Philippine Airlines.
Swab test is free for OWWA members, while it will cost non-OWWA members OFWs Ph3,500 pesos. With Philhealth, the amount goes down to Ph500 pesos, according to the chat group.
The Daily Bread 