I am writing this travel experience with the intention of helping the OFWs in preparing their travel back to Manila, and for LSIs (locally stranded individuals) travelling from barangay BGC Fort Bonifacio to Surigao del Sur via Butuan City.
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THE CHOICE OF AIRLINE GOING TO MANILA
Not wanting to go through the hassle of taking a covid-19 test before flying, I searched online for any airline that does not require any negative covid-19 test results for boarding and, of course, something inexpensive. My sole objective was to board the plane and land in Manila. And considering that no test is 100% accurate, I didn't want to take the risk of having a false-positive test result before the flight and being turned away from boarding. And, voila, Emirates came up at the top of the list - I could board their plane at Paris Charles De Gaulle airport and relax at Dubai airport for a 3.5-hr stopover just with my usual travel documents (boarding pass, passport, French ID). NO COVID-19 TEST RESULTS NEEDED! France was luckily in Emirates' list of countries without a covid-19 test requirement.
PREPARATION OF REQUIRED MANILA ARRIVAL DOCUMENTS
This is applicable only to OFWs who are members of OWWA.
1) Renewal of OWWA membership - I downloaded the OWWA mobile app, updated my membership information, and paid my membership fee. There was a glitch in the payment system - my credit card was not accepted as a payment method, so I had to ask someone else based in the Philippines (my nephew) to pay my membership fee and just bank-transferred the amount to him as payment.
2) Fill out the Red Cross eCIF form online here : https://e-cif.redcross.org.ph/
After filling out the eCIF form online, I received an email from Red Cross with a QR Code for a covid swab test upon arrival in Manila, a screenshot of which is shown below.
It would be helpful to regularly check the airlines' travel guidelines at their respective websites.
ARRIVAL AT THE NAIA / BUREAU OF QUARANTINE (BOQ)
The first long queue for arriving international passengers was in the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) area where each passenger was given a yellow card (Health Declaration Form) to fill out. After filling out, I handed back the yellow card to the BOQ staff and my body temperature was taken. This giving out and filling out of yellow cards caused a bottle neck in the queue. Mind you, I downloaded, printed (in bond paper form) and filled out ahead of my flight the Health Declaration Form, but the BOQ staff did not want it. He wanted me to fill out an actual yellow card form (what the heck!?! – it had the same information). And to top it all, many of the information asked in the form are the same as those in the immigration card, which I also had to fill out!). I hate filling out redundant-info-laden forms (especially while queuing, with my hands full of other stuff).
Tip #1: DO NOT bother downloading the yellow card Health Declaration Form prior to your flight, unless you can replicate the exact physical size and color of it! The bond paper size I printed was not be accepted by the BOQ staff. DO carry with you a pen all the time as you will be filling out many forms with similar questions.
Tip #2: DO have in your bag a small flat item on which you can place any form to fill out.
The long queue build-up was due not so much to the number of passengers as to the set up/process. The BOQ staff did not immediately open the BOQ desk, rather, they made the arriving passengers fall in line and wait, many of whom could not anymore practice physical distancing due to the bottle neck at the BOQ desks. It was only when the line became too long that they opened the BOQ desks, taking each passenger’s temperature. Why? I had no idea.
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| BOQ staff waiting at the desks... |
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| ...while the arriving passengers' queues were getting long; everyone was wearing a mask. |
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| ...though physical distancing was impossible to observe! |
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| The desks opened only when the queue became very long! |
QR CODE VERIFICATION AREA
After passing through the BOQ desk, the next stop was the QR code verification desks. A physically distanced queuing area was set up in front of the desks, which, I must say, was a good set up. The queuing system could be improved as there was a confusion at the start, i.e., the queue lines to follow were not clear at the start. An effective wifi was available in the area, because we (OFW arriving passengers) had to retrieve the QR Code emailed to us by the Red Cross.
Tip #3: DO fill out the online the eCIF form days before your flight, using this link from the Red Cross: https://e-cif.redcross.org.ph/ . As soon as I finished filling out the eCIF online form, I received an email with a QR Code from Red Cross. This QR Code is unique to me; like my “slot” / ”allotment” for one Covid swab test.
The wait for my turn to get to one of the verification desks was quite long – around 1 hour. At the desk, only my passport and my QR code were asked by the verification staff. It only took around 5 minutes, at the end of which three stickers of my barcode (photo below) were given to me by the verification staff.
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| QR code verification waiting area; I queued for 1 hour before I got to a desk. |
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| This guide for OFWs was provided at the QR code verification waiting area |
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| QR code verification desks (up close) |
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| Three barcode stickers given by the verification staff |
COVID SWAB TESTING AREA
After receiving the three barcode stickers, I again queued - this time, for the Covid swab test! The queue took around 30 minutes. There were several testing booths, all manned by appropriately garbed testing staff. The testing staff looked like astronauts :-) While waiting, I heard one toddler screaming while being tested – my heart melted with pity for the toddler :-(
When I got to one of the testing booths, the testing staff asked for my passport and my three barcode stickers from the QR code verification desk. He asked me if I have had prior Covid tests, and if I feel any form of sickness/pain in my body. My answer to both questions was “No”. Then he proceeded with the nasal and oral swabbing, which were very quick (maybe less than one minute). Both swabs were not painful, but the nasal one was uncomfortable. After the swab test, the testing staff handed back to me my passport with one barcode sticker on the back cover. He emphasized the necessity of not losing it, as the email from Red Cross on my Covid test results should carry the same bar code as the one on the back cover of my passport.
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| A covid swab test staff inside his booth |
IMMIGRATION COUNTER
There was nothing new in the process and documentary requirements here, so I will not bore you with something you already know.
OWWA COUNTER
I was guided by an airport staff to proceed to the OWWA counter for my hotel quarantine assignment. The queue here was not long thanks to the quick turnover (most likely due to the several counters attending to the OFWs). However, what was bothersome again was another form to fill out – and again, with most information the same as those in the immigration form and the Health Declaration Form!
When I approached one of the counters, I was asked of my OWWA credentials. All I showed was my online account through my smartphone. After around 10 minutes, I was given my hotel quarantine assignment: Kabayan Hotel in Pasay City.
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| OWWA counters; on the left side of the photo was the food and water station. |
After being given my hotel assignment, I was directed to the left side of the counter to have a packed meal and a bottled water prepared by OWWA – this was a pleasant surprise! Not that it was a great meal (it was rice with a little portion of chicken adobo), but the thoughtfulness was what amused me. Bravo, OWWA! You were quick and thoughtful :-)
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| Packed food and bottled water courtesy of OWWA |
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| OWWA's packed food up close |
Then I picked up my luggage at the luggage claim section and was directed to go to the bus (that brought me to Kabayan), stationed just outside the arrival area. After around 15 minutes’ wait, we headed to Kabayan Hotel. The bus was only one-third full.
The bus was airconditioned, but there is a certain slight smell, maybe that of an old upholstery. A bit unpleasant but bearable. In addition, there was someone in the bus selling SIM cards, face shields, bottled water, etc. The trip took around 30 minutes.
Tip#4: DO NOT buy face shields in the bus that brings you to your hotel – it was priced here at Php50 while the price at the small stall sellers outside Kabayan was only Php10. I know it is a small amount, but I also thought that the small stall sellers would benefit more from my purchase. By the way, the Kabayan staff offered to buy the face shield for me since I was supposed to be on quarantine.
QUARANTINE HOTEL ARRIVAL
Upon arrival at the hotel lobby of Kabayan Hotel, we were briefed by the OWWA staff assigned to Kabayan Hotel – when to expect the results, physical movement protocols, etc. Then, again, we were asked to fill out a check-in form, in which most of the information were the same as those in the Immigration and Health Declaration Form. But I understand that this is a separate private entity, so this information would be necessary for their own database. But filling out a check-in paper form? I have not done this in ages since the hotels I have stayed in when I travelled would only asked for my passport – that was all – no forms to fill out! But I tried to be patient and filled out the Nth form. When I finished filling out, the hotel staff looked at me and said, “Ma’am, pwede pong fill-up-an nyo yung duplicate ng form?” This was the “needle that broke the camel’s back”, kumbaga! I looked at him, smiling and talking to him in a very calm way, “Sir, alam mo ba kung ilang form na ang fi-nill-apan ko ngayong araw na ‘to, at wala pa kong maayos na lunch and dinner? Sana sinabi mo kaagad na may duplicate kasi naka-hingi sana ako sayo ng carbon paper (I don’t even know if that still exists, hahaha!). Kung gusto mo ng duplicate, i-photocopy mo yan or piktyuran mo using your smartphone.” He smiled back, and replied, “Sige, Ma’am, okay na po.” Oh gosh, the saga of the forms when you arrive at NAIA these days!
The whole arrival and Covid-testing procedures took around 2 hours. Then, another 30 minutes' travel to Kabayan quarantine hotel, and another 15 minutes for OWWA briefing and hotel check-in.
A hotel staff assisted me to bring my luggage to my room, which was a nice detail :-) When I entered my assigned room, it looked okay – big and clean (see photo below). But suddenly, I saw small creeping insects, around three of them, on top of one table, so I politely requested to have my room sprayed with insecticide, and the staff kindly granted my request, and he was apologetic of the small insects. So finally, I was able to rest. But I was starved! The free dinner distributed at the hotel lobby was not appetizing to eat, neither was it “healthy”. I already foresaw this, so I brought with me some “healthy” food (see photo below). In fact, my hand-carry bag was all food/drink baon – organic fresh fruits, carrots, ginger, nuts, green tea, fresh buko juice :-)
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| My room at Kabayan hotel |
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| Creeping insects... |
I left my door half-open to lessen the uncomfortable smell of the insecticide. After a few minutes, an old lady who came from Canada staying in the room in front of mine approached my door and asked for help in sending by FB Messenger an electronic copy of her passport to her daughter who lives in Canada and who urgently needs to receive the passport copy. The old lady is obviously not tech savvy. My first though was that of hesitation because it would mean holding her smartphone. But a big part of me pitied her (plus she reminded me of my mom) because she was helpless, and the human side of me cannot bear to leave her helpless, and so I told myself : Go girl, just follow the protocol : wear a mask, be one meter apart and thoroughly wash your hands after. So the electronic copy was sent and I felt at peace after. This incident made me commit to a resolution during this pandemic : in the midst of all these precautions, I should continue living with empathy towards people around me.
Tip #5: DO bring your own "healthy" food in your hand-carry bag. Hotel free food is difficult to swallow.
Tip #6: DO NOT buy coffee from Kabayan Hotel (if you are assigned in this hotel). The coffee I ordered was like black-colored water: no taste nor aroma of coffee that usually makes my mornings!
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| Free food in Kabayan |
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| Coffee in Kabayan (not free) |
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| Some of my baons... |
COVID SWAB TEST RESULTS OUT IN LESS THAN 48 HOURS!
I received my covid swab test result by email from Red Cross on the 2nd night of my stay in Kabayan, around 11pm. The quick turnaround was a pleasant surprise for me!
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| Email from Red Cross on negative covid swab test results. |
The following morning, I was instructed, through whatsapp to go to the hotel lobby for check out and briefing. Since my destination was a small town in Surigao del Sur, the OWWA staff told me that I should board the bus that will go to the airport. Upon arriving at the airport, OWWA will book me a ticket that will fly me on that day to my destination. OWWA will take care of all my transport expenses up to my destination! “Wow! That’s good to hear!” I told her. But I needed some days in manila to run some documentary errands and other stuff, so I requested an extension of stay in Manila. However, the OWWA staff told me, “Sorry, ma’am, pero kung di po kayo pupunta ngayon sa airport, hindi na po kayo responsibility ng OWWA. Magiging LSI (Locally Stranded Individual) na po kayo, at kayo na po ang bahala ng transportation nyo pauwi sa Surigao del Sur. At pag-check out nyo po from the hotel, kailangan po mag-quarantine po kayo ng 14 days from your airport arrival day."
I decided to stay in Manila to do the necessary errands.
VOLUNTARY AND SELF-MONITORED 14-DAY QUARANTINE
Per Philippine government guidelines, any international passenger
arriving in Manila with negative covid swab test result must undergo a 14-day
home quarantine. So, when I checked out of Kabayan quarantine hotel and proceeded
to Barangay Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, I started my 14-day home isolation. By
the way, when I left Kabayan quarantine hotel, no one asked me my home address – not OWWA, not any hotel staff, not
any government employee. This means I would not be monitored and would just be
left on my own. Just imagine the number of recently-arrived OFWs in Manila who
could be loitering around, not following the 14-day quarantine protocol! I
self-isolated for 14 days and only did all my errands and met some “brave” friends
after the 14th day. After the 7th day of self-isolation,
I started doing walking and breathing exercises around the building where I was
staying. I was lucky to have some small parks/gardens around me.
COVID-19 TRAVEL: MANILA TO SURIGAO DEL SUR VIA BUTUAN CITY
PREPARATIONS OF TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AS A LOCALLY STRANDED
INDIVIDUAL (LSI)
For those who do not know the meaning of LSI, the Philippine
government defines LSIs as “foreign
nationals or Filipino citizens in a specific locality within the Philippines
who have expressed intention to return to their place of residence/home origin.”1 This definition is in Memo
No. 2020-02 of the National Task Force Against Covid, intended to facilitate
the return of stranded Filipinos to their respective homes. I am an LSI because
I am in Manila intending to go back home to my birth town in Surigao del Sur.
I started preparing for my Manila-SurigaoDelSur trip while I was still on quarantine. Since I could not have face-to-face interactions due to the 14-day quarantine protocol, I resorted to online research for LSI travel guidelines. The official government website (DILG) would not load, but here is the website in case you can access it.
https://www.dilg.gov.ph/PDF_File/issuances/memo_circulars/dilg-memocircular-2020521_a38badf755.pdf
Google search also suggested Rappler website, and it loaded
very quickly.
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/explainer-locally-stranded-individuals-need-to-know-coronavirus-lockdown
I also telephoned my nephew who was flying from Manila to
our region (Carraga region) a few days after I arrived in barangay Fort Boni.
My nephew (who was also travelling as an LSI) was my best source of
information. No one from barangay Fort Bonifacio replied to my email nor to my
FB Messenger message.
Based on my conversations with my nephew, I must consider the guidelines and requirements of both my barangay of origin and my LGU (local government unit) destination - in my case these would be barangay Fort Bonifacio (origin) and my birth town in Surigao del Sur (LGU destination). He enumerated to me the required documents for me to be allowed to board the plain to Butuan City (the airport nearest to Surigao del Sur), as follows:
1) Medical certificate from barangay Fort Bonifacio
2) Authority to travel from PNP
3) Two valid IDs
4) Negative COVID-19 test result (swab RT-PCR test or Rapid Antibody test), taken within 5 days before the flight
To obtain these foregoing documents, I also had to submit certain
documents, which I will discuss subsequently.
1)
Securing the barangay Medical Certificate at
barangay Fort Bonifacio
Document requirements: Airline ticket, certificate of
tenancy/residency, two valid IDs, Letter of Acceptance from LGU destination.
Address: Barangay Fort Bonifacio Health Center, Zone 3
(Verify your Zone number, depending on your residential address)
Validity:
5 days only (take note of your flight date then)
Step 1 : Choose a flight
date (but do not buy a ticket yet) and coordinate with the LGU destination if they
are ready to accept you on your preferred date, because they will prepare your
quarantine facility and the transport from Butuan airport to the final
destination. Most of the LGUs now allow a home-quarantine arrangement and a
family-pick-up transport arrangement due to budget constraints. In my case, it
was my brother and his wife who picked me up at the airport and I am on home
quarantine as of this writing.
Once everything is arranged, book
a ticket, send a copy of your flight details to the LGU destination, and ask them
to send you electronically the Letter of Acceptance/Conformity. In my case, my
LGU destination would only give a Letter of Acceptance once I have the flight details.
Step 2 : Secure a certificate of tenancy/residency from your landlord or building administration (if you live in a shared building)
Step 3 : Photocopy your two valid IDs and print your airline ticket.
Step 4 : Go to barangay Fort Bonifacio Zone 3 Health Center, 4
days before your flight because their standard operating procedure states “processing will take 2 to 3 days” (see photo below), excluding
weekends and non-working holidays. Once
you are in the health center, a staff will ask for the foregoing documents and
will ask you to go back after three days, at 4pm.
So, if your flight is, for instance, Dec 22, Tuesday, you will have a
longer wait because of the weekend. You will have to go to the barangay health
center on Dec 16 at the latest, Wednesday, for Dec 21 release of the Medical
Certificate.
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| Sample Barangay Fort Bonifacio Medical Certificate |
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LSI Tip#1: In claiming the Medical Certificate, be at the barangay health
center around 3pm, as Medical Certificates are usually ready for release earlier
than 4pm. In my case, my Medical Certificate was released to me at around
3:30pm, as I got there early, and I had enough time to go straight to the SouthCom
PNP for the Travel Authorization.
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2)
Covid-testing (while waiting for the release of
the Medical Certificate)
You can either have a:
- swab test via barangay health center
Cost: free
Process period: allot a two-week lead time for this; ask the barangay health center for the process. If you do not have much time, plead with the barangay health center, they might be able to
accommodate you, like my case. I was lucky to be given a slot for testing without having to go
through the initial online registration process because my flight was three days away!
- rapid antibody test at Diane Optical / One World Medical Wellness in Pasay Road, Makati
Cost: Php1500 Process period: 15 minutes; yes, you can get the results in 15 minutes
Address: Diane Optical, 926 Antonio Arnaiz Ave (formerly Pasay Road), Makati, 1223 Metro Manila.
In my case, since it was not certain that the swab test results would come out in time for my flight, I also took a rapid antibody test at Diane Optical one day before my flight, and I got the results in 15 minutes. In the end, the swab test was sent to me by the barangay around 5 hours before my flight. So, I had two negative covid test results ready for check-in!
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| Sample negative covid antibody test result |
3) Securing the Travel Authorization (TA) from the PNP SouthCom Headquarters (Lawton Avenue)
Document requirements: Medical Certificate from barangay Fort Bonifacio and a photocopy of it, two valid IDs and their photocopies. (Note: Airline ticket, certificate of tenancy/residency, Letter of Acceptance from LGU destination are not required but just bring these documents with you in case they ask.
Address: SouthCom PNP Headqurters, Lawton Avenue, Fort
Bonifacio (if you come from another barangay, you may have to verify from the
health center which PNP office will you obtain a TA.
Validity: the indicated Date of Travel (So if your travel
is postponed, after obtaining the TA, you will have to go back to PNP to have
the TA updated.
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| Sample Travel Authority from PNP... |
AT THE DEPARTURE AREA OF TERMINAL 3
Check-in queue was unusually slow due to documents verification. I expected that, so i was prepared, armed with something to read while standing in the queue. All the documents I mentioned above were asked by the check-in counter staff. Other than the additional documentation, everything went as usual. The flight was full and it took off on time.
ARRIVAL AT BUTUAN CITY AIRPORT
Deplaning took time because it was done strictly per row. Everyone was seated, not allowed to take the cabin luggage overhead, until it was their turn to deplane.
At the airport arrival area, all arriving passengers were requested to fall in line in each of the assigned region's line in preparation for the arrival briefing. After around 10 minutes, someone with a megaphone spoke/briefed us on the next steps. For those not staying in Butuan City (going to other provinces), we were instructed to claim our luggage and leave. So I claimed my luggage, went towards the parking area, and was very happy to see my brother and his wife! :-). Then we drove off to Surigao del Sur. I am now on my 9th day of my home quarantine :-)
Source:
1 Rappler, https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/explainer-locally-stranded-individuals-need-to-know-coronavirus-lockdown
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