DOT assists 1,044 stranded tourists in Caraga

The Department of Tourism (DOT) assisted 1,044 foreign tourists stranded in the Caraga region due to travel restrictions during the enhanced community quarantine.

The DOT's Caraga regional office coordinated with local government units to facilitate the evacuation of these tourists.

A total of 416 tourists utilized five sweeper flights from Siargao Island to Clark International Airport.

However, an additional chartered flight on Sunday, March 29, facilitated by DOT-13, flew 31 foreign tourists directly from Siargao Island to Manila.

This chartered flight was the sixth organized by the DOT to evacuate stranded foreign tourists from Siargao and other Caraga destinations.

As of March 30, 462 foreign tourists had been flown out of the region to Manila, with 77 still stranded and booked on flights until April 14.

The Department of Foreign Affairs announced that foreign governments are now responsible for arranging special flights for their citizens from the provinces.