OFW arrivals to be decentralized as Clark Int’l Airport opens Friday

MANILA, Philippines — Clark International Airport will reopen for international flights Friday in a bid to decentralize the arrivals of overseas Filipinos, deputy chief implementer of the government’s response against COVID-19 Vince Dizon said.

“Ang gagawin po natin sa mga susunod na linggo ay idedecentralize na po natin ang arrivals ng ating mga OFWs,” Dizon said Thursday during an online Palace briefing.

(What we will do in the coming weeks is to decentralize the arrival of our OFWs.)

“Magsisimula po yan sa pagtanggap ng Clark International Airport bukas ng mga flights galing sa mga abroad dala ang ating mga OFWs,” he added.

(This will start by opening Clark International Airport for flights coming from abroad carrying our OFWs.)

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) earlier said it will expand international aviation gateways to Clark, Cebu and Davao to decongest Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) terminals in Metro Manila.

Dizon said opening more international gateways complemented with the continuous increase in testing capacity will allow OFWs to easily come home to their provinces.

“Dahil tumataas na po ang capacity ng ating probinsya at ng mga siyudad sa labas ng Metro Manila, magagawa na po natin ito ngayon para po mapadali ang pag-uwi at makasama ng ating mga kababayan, mga OFWs ang kanilang mga pamilya,” he said.

(Since the testing capacity of our provinces and cities outside Metro Manila are increasing, we’ll be able to hasten the return of OFWs to their families.)

Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered agencies to bring home OFWs who are stuck in quarantine facilities.

The government is expecting 16,000 more OFWs to return to the country this June.