Numerous flights that continue to arrive from China are testing the limits of a mandatory 14-day quarantine in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country, Senator Imee Marcos said on Monday.
Marcos cited that airports in Manila, Cebu, Clark, Davao and Kalibo took in at least 15 direct flights from the cities of Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanning and Wuxi on Sunday.
Local airlines with recorded landings included Royal Air Philippines and Philippines Air Asia, while foreign airlines included Cathay Pacific / Cathay Dragon, China Southern Airlines, and Hong Kong Airlines.
“Kung tuloy-tuloy ang kalakarang ito, maaring mawalang-bisa ang quarantine para sugpuin ang paglaganap ng nCoV at nagsisimula pa lamang ang buong mundo na labanan ito,” Marcos said.
Quarantine guidelines for local government units (LGUs) were rushed last Thursday, days after the government banned the entry of non-resident foreigners and imposed a quarantine on Filipinos and Philippine permanent resident visa holders returning from or via China and its special administrative regions.
Marcos urged LGUs to speed up the creation and staffing of barangay isolation units and to strictly monitor returning residents who choose voluntary home confinement, in accordance with guidelines from the Department of Health and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“Kailangan tutukan kung aling mga LGU ang sumusunod at kung sino ang mga pasaway para hindi tayo mapako sa sisihan at hindi na lumaki ang problema natin sa nCoV,” Marcos said.
Marcos added that the Bureau of Immigration has a duty to inform local government officials of their returning residents.
List of direct flights from China, as of Feb. 9, 2020:
CEBU (3)
Hong Kong Landed at 11:10 Cathay Pacific
Guangzhou Landed at 12:03 China Southern Airlines
Hong Kong Landed at 18:44 Cathay Pacific
CLARK (1)
Hong Kong Landed at 10:01 Cathay Pacific
DAVAO (1)
Hong Kong Landed at 15:38 Cathay Pacific
KALIBO (2)
Nanning Landed at 06:04 Royal Air Philippines
Wuxi Landed at 07:50 Royal Air Philippines
MANILA (8)
Hong Kong Landed 05:23 Hong Kong Airlines
Hong Kong Landed at 10:56 Cathay Pacific
Guangzhou Landed at 06:14 Philippines Air Asia
Guangzhou Landed at 10:38 China Southern Airlines
Guangzhou Landed at 16:00 China Southern Airlines
Hong Kong Landed at 18:35 Cathay Pacific
Shenzhen Landed at 23:10 Philippines Air Asia
Guangzhou Landed at 22:30 China Southern Airlines/Stacy Ang
