On September 9, Philippine Airlines mounted another Bayanihan Flight from Bangkok to Manila. There were 110 adult passengers and 3 infants. Here are some recommendations and do’s and don’ts for those who are coming home.
Documents that will be checked upon check-in at Suvarnabhumi Airport. You can print a copy or just take a screenshot and save it on your mobile phone/gadget.
- Passport
- ticket
- One Health Pass QR Code
- RT PCR test (You may try Piyavate Hospital at 3,000 THB) – You must wait for the final instructions from your airline before getting the test.
- Proof you’re an OFW (You can either show your OWWA ID, OEC)
- Hotel quarantine booking for Non-OFWs
All passengers are required to wear face masks and face shields during the flight.
Upon arrival at the airport in Manila (NAIA terminal 2)
Before deplaning, there will be a briefing inside the plane from the Bureau of Customs and PAL staff. There are uniformed personnel who will assist you to the reception/holding area for verification and other briefings.
There are two holding areas – one assigned for OFWs (to be assisted by OWWA) and the other for Non-OFWs (to be assisted by DOT).
For OFWs (at the holding area to the hotel)
- Queue to verify your One Health Pass QR Code (there are four counters).
- After the verification, wait at your assigned seat (you will be with other passengers in the same flight (PAL PR731 for Bangkok-Manila).
- Once all passengers’ One Health Pass QR Codes (OSS) have been verified, you will be instructed to go to the Immigration. You will all form a line and go together.
- After passing through the Immigration, you will proceed to your assigned carousel for the luggage pickup. Military officials and OWWA personnel will also be there for further instructions and to check/assess your documents whether you qualify for OWWA assistance.
- After assessing/checking your documents individually, you will be asked to go to two more counters. Your QR code will be scanned and checked at two more stations before finally getting on the bus to your designated quarantine hotel.
- OWWA arranged the transportation from the airport to your hotel. They also provided packed meals and bottled water for OFWs. Another 30 minutes to one hour will be spent for check in at the hotel. Another packed meal was also prepared by Belmont Hotel for dinner.
All these may take up 2-3 hours from deplaning. OFWs were also assigned in different hotels (in our case: 35 – Belmont Hotel; 18 – SOGO Makati; and the rest in other hotels).
How to avail OWWA assistance
OWWA provides the following free assistance:
- hotel accommodation
- meals
- SWAB test
- transportation to home province
In order to get these assistance, you must be an OWWA member with an OWWA ID. They also consider those with POEA records (OEC / BMOnline Balik Manggagawa). The OWWA assessing officer will advise you to register at OWWA and pay for your membership fee.
If you don’t have neither OWWA nor POEA membership/records, the OWWA assessing officer considered and allowed undocumented OFWs with Endorsement Letter from the Philippine Embassy. A number of returning undocumented OFWs were also given free assistance yesterday.
To get this document, you may email Philippine Embassy in Bangkok:
Consular Section: bangkokpe.consular@dfa.gov.ph
ATN Section: bkkpe.atn@gmail.com
You may also email OWWA Malaysia for assistance. Email: malaysia@owwa.gov.ph
You can also present your original Work Permit and work contract. The OWWA assessing officer also considered it after having it checked.
At the Quarantine (Belmont Hotel as of Sept 9)
OWWA and hotel manager conducted a briefing before getting off the bus. Below is the information enumerated by the hotel manager.
- 10-day hotel quarantine
- 4-day with the LGU
- RT PCR Test on the 7th day
- Result will be released online on 8th or 9th day
- You are not allowed to leave your room (only after quarantine and during SWAB test). Another mandatory quarantine if violated.
- One person only in one room. Married couples are not allowed to stay in one room. Children 7 years old and below may join either his/her mom or dad.
- 8 years old and above will stay in a separate room.
- No smoking. There’s a penalty of 10k pesos if caught.
- No food delivery
- Only essential goods are allowed. You need to coordinate with the assigned OWWA officer. There is an OWWA officer in all quarantine hotels.
- Free unlimited water, coffee and tea
- Free wifi
- SWAB test will be within hotel premises
- Swab test Result and BOQ certificate can be checked at https://pnrc.ph/track
