Filipino migrant workers can now return to Hong Kong and Macau after the Philippines government partially lifted the temporary travel ban that aims to deter the spread the novel coronavirus, officially known as Covid-19.
Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte implemented a temporary travel ban covering the entire greater China region earlier this month, affecting migrant workers from Hong Kong and Macau who were on vacation in the Philippines.
Yesterday, the government announced that these workers are officially exempted from the outbound travel ban but are still subjected to certain procedural formalities.
Filipino workers are required to make a “written declaration that they know the risks of going back.”
The temporary travel ban has affected several hundred migrant workers employed in the SARs, as flights going to and from the regions were also canceled.
Meanwhile, the Macau government said that it is paying close attention to the suspension – by certain overseas countries and places – of particular flights to and from Macau.
Since flights between Macau and the Philippines have been canceled until March by relevant airline operators, some 400 Filipino citizens – either working or travelling in Macau – had claimed they have consequently not been able to fly to their home country via Macau.
According to a statement issued by the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre, it recommended that those affected by flight suspensions involving local routes could consider taking flights from Hong Kong.
There are three daily flights from Hong Kong to Manila, as well as flights every Friday from Hong Kong to Cebu City.
The three airlines that operate the Philippine-Macau route including Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Airlines and Air Asia have yet to announce when they would resume flights following the lifting of the travel ban among migrant workers. LV
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