Albay sets rules on flight resumption

LEGAZPI City --- The provincial government of Albay has set the guidelines for Covid-19 preventive measures and reporting procedures for in-bound airline passengers and connecting flights arriving at the Legazpi City Airport.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has already resumed its domestic flights in Albay on Monday, June 15. The PAL flights are from Manila-Legazpi and Cebu-Legazpi ad vice-versa.

Cebu Pacific also plans to mount flights for Manila-Legazpi and vice-versa and will publish the schedule once finalized.

Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara directed airline companies and private aircraft operators bound for Albay to comply with health standards and protocols.

Under the Executive Order no. 22 issued by Bichara, airline companies and private aircraft operators bound for Albay as final destination are required to comply with health standards and protocols pursuant to the guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

Passengers must present originally printed copies of Covid-19 travel documents issued by their respective and concerned agencies from the place of origin. Electronic and digital copies will not be accepted.

These documents include the travel authority issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP), Locally Stranded Individuals (LSI) form, medical clearance certification from the city/municipal health office. Returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) must present negative PT-PCR result and quarantine certification issued by Department of Health (DOH) -Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ).

Passengers are also required to accomplish Health and Travel Declaration forms to be given and collected by airline crew for submission to the BOQ and the Albay Provincial Health Office.

“No passenger shall be allowed to deplane unless a complete and duly accomplished form is submitted,” Bichara cited.

Likewise, minimum health standards shall be implemented such as wearing of mask for passengers and availability of disinfection mats. Passenger cabins must also be disinfected.

In compliance with the Bicol IATF quarantine rules, local government units (LGUs) are required to impose a 14-day quarantine period for authorized persons outside residence (APOR) and returning residents coming from Metro Manila or other areas with confirmed community transmission.

“Hence all LSIs upon arrival in Albay must report immediately to their respective LGU for documentation and proper medical disposition subject to local regulations and procedures on quarantine using local facility or domicile,” Bichara said.

Bichara also ordered receiving LGUs, along with Legazpi City as host of the domestic airport to coordinate with concerned city/municipal LGUs to facilitate and arrange for the transport of passengers to their respective facility in the absence of mass or personal transportation.

For PAL, flights for Manila-Legazpi vice versa are set on Tuesdays-Sundays while Cebu-Legazpi vice versa flights are set on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Cebu Pac has yet to finalize its flight schedule.