LSIs, OFWs warned against misrepresentation

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Locally Stranded Individuals and repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers are warned not to resort to misrepresentation in obtaining their tickets for airline sweeper flights or they will be blacklisted.

Charina Magallanes Tan, Provincial COVID-19 Incident Command Center spokesperson, said that any person misrepresenting his or her identity, residence, and other personal details to obtain a ticket will be blacklisted and subjected to criminal and administrative charges.

She also said that those who have previously purchased Philippine Airlines (PAL) tickets will be refunded and can purchase new tickets for the sweeper flights.

Tan issued this statement in reaction to posts by OFWs and LSIs lamenting that it has become costly for them as they already have bought their tickets before the announcement of the sweeper flight organized by the provincial government and Philippine Airlines.

Hanni Intienza in her post said “What about those who already booked for June 12? Please be considerate, we have another flight to Kuala Lumpur on June 13th. We don’t have enough funds to keep rebooking these tickets. We haven’t even gotten a single refund of our previous bookings.”

Tan said that the three flights from Manila are expected to bring home about 600 Negrenses who will arrive at the Bacolod-Silay Airport at 11 a.m. and depart for Manila at 1 p.m. daily from June 9 to 11.

Tan said those who have inquiries or wish to register for the June 9 to 11 sweeper flights may call the Provincial Tourism Office at 4332515 or 4762018, or register their names, phone numbers and addresses at the Negros Occidental Tourism Division Facebook page.

The sweeper flights are on a pay-per-passenger arrangement, Tan said.

She also said that the Bacolod-Silay Airport and seaports will remain closed to regular air and sea travel to Negros Occidental until June 15.

Tan further said that the decision to close the airports for commercial flights was made by all governors and the mayors of highly urbanized cities of Western Visayas.