Repatriate laments lack of social distancing in sweeper flight

A Filipino migrant worker who was repatriated last week amid the coronavirus pandemic lamented the lack of social distancing in the sweeper flights arranged by the government.

According to Shai Lagarde’s report on “Stand for Truth” on Tuesday, repatriate Jessica was in one of the two sweeper flights carrying returning overseas Filipinos and locally stranded individuals from Manila to Cagayan de Oro.

“I was one of the passengers in Ninoy Aquino International Airport. They implemented the protocol there pero ‘yung part na pagpasok ko sa airplane, do’n ako na-surprise,” she said.

“It’s like the typical commercial flights. As in full talaga. Of course as a passenger mag-speculate ka talaga, ‘Hala akala ko ba?’ Nakaka-praning talaga. How can I tell if this person is healthy?” she added.

Jessica’s friend in the other flight paid nearly P8,000 for the plane ticket thinking that it would cover the cost of vacant seats in between passengers.

“Kami po mga passengers hindi kami nagrereklamo. Gusto lang namin malinaw kung bakit walang physical distancing yung sa loob sa airplane. We just wanted to make sure that aside from going home, we are also healthy in arriving in our hometown,” Jessica said.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) confirmed that the emergency repatriation flight chartered by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration was conducted in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to send home repatriates within a week. 

“Ang naisakay namin over a period of five days, siguro 4,000. We actually appreciate what she (Jessica) did because it gave us an opportunity to explain further the other security measures in place,” PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said.

She explained that all passengers are required to wear face masks, flight attendants don personal protective gear, and all planes have high efficiency particulate air filters.

“Hindi po magiging financially viable ‘yung flight kung 50 percent lang ang capacity. But in the absence of social distancing, there are other safety measures that are in place,” Villaluna said. —Julia Mari Ornedo/LDF, GMA News