Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez has ordered airlines to provide full refunds and waive rebooking and other fees for passengers who cancel flights due to Typhoon Opong.
This action follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to assist affected travelers. Lopez specifically instructed the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to enforce these policies and ensure airlines notify passengers of flight cancellations.
“There should be no rebooking fees, and other fees should be waived. If passengers opt for a refund, then it should be a full refund,” Lopez said. “We have also instructed the Civil Aeronautics Board that our airlines should contact their passengers to inform them whether their flights are canceled or not,” he added.
Lopez also ordered airport and port managers to provide food and drinks to stranded passengers. “We have already ordered our airports to remain open so passengers can have shelter if stranded, and food must be available,” he said.
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) are also enforcing a no-sail policy to ensure passenger safety. For stranded travelers at ports, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), is prepared to provide food and drinks.
According to Lopez, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has been on heightened alert since Thursday as part of preparations for the typhoon’s landfall. More than 5,600 PCG personnel, ships, 166 rescue boats, and 122 vehicles are on standby in affected areas.
“We have ordered all Coast Guard personnel deployed. We have about 5,600 personnel in the areas expected to be hit by the typhoon,” Lopez said. “Last night, we deployed 166 boats, 122 vehicles, as well as ships and rescue boats to support our countrymen.”
