MIAA assures Senate readiness to accept returning Filipinos until June

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal assured the Senate that the country is ready to accommodate returning Filipinos until June, with measures in place for screening, testing, and quarantine.

Flights arriving at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will be capped at 400 passengers per day to manage the influx of repatriates.

Upon arrival, all returning Filipinos will undergo COVID-19 screening, PCR testing, and mandatory quarantine while awaiting their test results.

Senators expressed concerns about the feasibility of testing and quarantining 400 passengers daily, questioning the sustainability of the plan and the availability of sufficient quarantine facilities.

Monreal explained that a temporary suspension of arrivals from May 3 to May 10 was implemented to decongest existing quarantine facilities.

The daily arrival cap was authorized by the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) in coordination with airline companies.

Despite concerns, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto voiced support for prioritizing the return of Filipinos to the country.