OWWA, UBE Express offer OFWs 50% fare discount from NAIA

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) arriving in the Philippines may now avail of the 50% fare discount from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals to strategic locations through UBE Express, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said Wednesday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, OWWA administrator Arnell Ignacio said their tie up with the airport bus service would help protect the OFWs against the high fare prices and taxi scams at NAIA.

“Biro mo mula airport, pupunta ng PITX (Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange), sisingilin sila ng P3,500. Susmaryosep. Eh dito P75 lang. P150 ‘yan kadalasan sa regular na pasahero. Sa mga OFWs, P75 lang,” he said.

(From the airport, passengers are sometimes asked for a P3,500 fare to PITX. The price for regular passengers should be P150, but it would only be P75 for OFWs.)

From NAIA, the routes available for the UBE Express include Robinsons Sta. Rosa, Araneta City Cubao, Robinsons Galleria, Ayala Malls South Park, PITX, Robinsons Place Manila, and Victory Liner Pasay Terminal.

Ignacio said they are planning to also expand the routes to the Ilocos Region.

OFWs may buy their tickets online through the UBE Express website, and walk-in passengers would also be accepted in the UBE Express booth at the airport. Tickets purchased online, however, would not be considered a seat reservation and first-come, first-served policy would still apply.

Ignacio said this project would also help decongest NAIA, especially that thousands of people arrive at the airport daily.

“Konsepto rin siya na maaaring makatulong sa decongestion ng airport. We’re working on this. ‘Yung salubong at paghatid, we're working on some malls kung saan sila pwedeng i-pick up at ihatid,” he added.

(This is also a concept that can help decongest the airport. We're working on this. We’re working on having some malls to be designated as a pick up and drop off points.)

OWWA and UBE Express signed the memorandum of agreement for the project on Tuesday, March 26.—AOL, GMA Integrated News