Govt stops airport transport for stranded foreigners

The Philippine government will cease providing airport transport for stranded foreign nationals starting March 28, 2020.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. announced that March 27 is the last day the government will facilitate the transport of foreign tourists to international airports for sweeper flights.

These sweeper flights are organized and paid for by the respective governments of the stranded foreign nationals.

Locsin stated that the Philippine government's resources are exhausted and stretched thin, necessitating that foreign governments now bear the primary responsibility for gathering their citizens.

While the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will continue to assist in gathering remaining stranded individuals and coordinating with restrictive local governments, their capacity for extensive aid is limited.

Foreign nationals can still leave the country without paying penalties for overstaying their visas.

Locsin commended Germany, France, Denmark, and Russia for their efforts in providing repatriation flights, which are becoming scarcer.