By
Danilo A. Reyes
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| Some of the stranded OFWs with OWWA staff (OWWA photo) |
After a nearly two-day delay, all of the 39 overseas
Filipino workers (OFWs) who were stranded at Hong Kong airport since the
evening of Dec. 20, will make it home to reunite with their family in time for
Christmas.
Those stranded were among the 188 Manila-bound
passengers of the Philippine Airlines’ flight PR311 originally scheduled to
depart on Dec. 20 at 11:55pm.
“PAL explained that a bird strike was the cause of the
delay,” said Consul General Raly Tejada.
The Consulate, Tejada added, immediately sent a team
to the airport to check on the condition of the OFWs after they were informed.
Tejada also spoke to PAL officials to make sure the
stranded passengers were provided accommodation, hot meals, and given
assistance in rebooking connecting domestic flights they missed because of the
delay.
Out of the 39 stranded OFWs, 20 left via flight PR311
at 11:55pm on Dec. 21, and the remaining 19 left via PR319 at 1:25pm on
Thursday, Dec. 22.
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| At the NAIA in Manila, the OFWs get help with their onward journeys (OWWA photo) |
Virsie Tamayao, welfare officer of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Hong Kong, said they helped secure
accommodation for those stranded at the Regal Airport Hotel as they waited for
their flight.
Because those stranded were already at the boarding
gates after passing through the Immigration clearance, they were instructed to
stay at the boarding gates or airport premises to wait for their flights
initially.
Tamayao had to ask Immigration officials to allow the stranded OFWs to leave the
airport premises and stay at the hotel to wait for their flights. Only one of
the 39 OFWs opted to stay at the airport.
All the stranded OFWs were also received by OWWA staff
when they arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2
in Manila, and assisted with their respective onward domestic flight
destinations.
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