All international air travelers are required to undergo quarantine for at least 14 days after arrival in the Philippines, the country’s flag carrier Philippine Airlines said Sunday.
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It issued this reminder to all arriving passengers as the government was set to resume today (Monday) inbound international flight operations for repatriating Filipinos.
On May 3, the government suspended all inbound domestic and international passenger and commercial flights to the Philippines to further prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
The suspension covered nine airports including the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Davao International Airport, Clark International Airport, Iloilo International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Zamboanga International Airport, Kalibo International Airport, Laoag International Airport, and Puerto Princesa International Airport, civil aviation officials said.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has released Notice to Airmen announcing the “lifting of the suspension imposed on inbound international flights for repatriating Filipinos starting on 11 May 2020.”
CAAP spokesperson and chief information officer Eric Apolonio said the notice said inbound international charter flights would only be allowed to land at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Mondays and Thursdays, provided that “necessary clearances are secured from the Department of Foreign Affairs and CAAP for slotting purposes.”
He added scheduled inbound international commercial flights would be allowed to land at the NAIA on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, provided they secure approval from CAAP 48 hours before their scheduled departure from the airport of origin.
“This is to properly coordinate the necessary slotting and rescheduling of flights to subscribe to the 400 passengers per day capacity of NAIA, as imposed by the National Task Force (for Covid-19),” he said.
Apolonio said the restrictions, which will run from May 11 to June 10, 2020, shall only apply to NAIA.
Virtual court hearings
The Supreme Court’s mandated video conferencing hearings in key cities have resulted in the release of more than 4,600 persons deprived of liberty.
Data from the Office of the Court Administrator show that the video conferencing hearings from April 30, 2020 to May 8 have paved the way for the release of some 4,683 PDLs.
Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez attributed the achievement to various circulars issued by Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta, which allowed video conferencing hearings and release of PDLs accused of minor crimes who were released on reduced bail or on recognizance.
Marquez said at present, video conferencing hearings were in full swing in cities including Baguio City up north, in Metro Manila, in Cebu in the Visayas, and some cities in Mindanao.
Of the PDLs released from March 17, 2020 to April 29, 2020, a total of 2,082 of them were in the National Capital Region; 4,657 in Luzon or outside of NCR; 1,072 in the Visayas; and 1,920 in Mindanao.
Money returned
More than 170 residents of Parañaque City showed honesty and returned the money given to them under the Social Amelioration Program, saying they were already beneficiaries of other financial assistance programs of the government.
On Sunday, Mayor Edwin Olivarez said 77,674 beneficiaries under SAP would now receive their financial assistance after 178 pensioners and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) returned the amount.
Olivarez said he was confident the city would finish the distribution of the SAP cash assistance in all 16 barangays Sunday, the final deadline set by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Social pension
Senator Manuel Lapid is proposing a measure aimed at providing monthly social pension to Persons With Disabilities who have no regular income to support their families.
Lapid filed Senate Bill No. 1506 seeking to give priority to the needs of vulnerable sectors such as PWDs who are suffering from restriction of different abilities, as a result of a mental, physical or sensory impairment.
The actor-turned-politician believes this sector faced limitations in their functions or activities which often resulted in joblessness.
