The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will temporarily suspend on Monday its handling of transportation services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Luzon, who will be travelling in and out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
OWWA Administrator Hans J. Cacdac said the suspension will provide their team of drivers, nurses, bus monitors, dispatchers, luggage handlers, airport coordinators, and repatriation personnel much needed rest.
“I thank them for their on-hand service to our dear OFWS since March 16,” Cacdac said in a statement.
He said the Department of Transportation (DoTr) will be taking over the bus services for OFWs until they could resume with their “Hatid-Sundo” program (HSP), which was officially launched on March 19.
For the duration of its run, the HSP benefited nearly 3,000 stranded arriving and departing OFWs.
Cacdac, however, said OWWA will continue
giving airport assistance and accommodation aid within Metro Manila for
returning OFWs, who will be affected by the enhanced community quarantine in
Luzon due to the novel coronavirus disease
(Covid-19).
Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said that among OFWs assisted by OWWA were the 250 Filipino crew of cruise ship Costa Luminosa.
Passengers of the cruise ship were forced to disembark in Savona, Italy, after some of its passengers were infected with Covid-19.
Citing a report from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), Bello said the Filipino seafarers flew from Malpensa airport via a chartered flight last Friday and arrived at the Naia Terminal 1 the following day.
The crew is composed of 245 seafarers deployed by Magsaysay Maritime Corp. and five deployed by another agency, Bello told the BusinessMirror.
After their arrival, they were brought to a hotel in Manila to undergo the 14-day quarantine.