AID TO STRANDED OFWs. DFA Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato supervises the DFA Assistance Desk set up at the Clark International Airport. Also in photo was Clark International Airport Corp. president Alex Cauguiran. (Photo courtesy of CIAC Corporate Communications Office)
CLARK, Pampanga -- Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), whose flights at Clark International Airport were cancelled due to Typhoon "Ompong", were each given a PHP5,000 cash assistance by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday.
DFA Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato, who supervised the desks, said Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano himself instructed the regional consular office staff based in Angeles City and San Fernando to set up the assistance center inside the terminal of the Clark International Airport.
Cato also said the DFA staff began processing claims early morning of Saturday to ensure that stranded OFWs would be given assistance to cover for their meals, accommodation and other expenses.
“Operations staff of the Clark International Airport Corp (CIAC) also helped in the process,” he said.
The DFA assistance desk was to receive at least 100 OFWs traveling through Clark, whose scheduled flights were cancelled due to the inclement weather.
"Government presence here at Clark is definitely felt for our stranded kababayans (countrymen), thanks to President Duterte and DFA Secretary (Alan Peter) Cayetano," said Alex Cauguiran, CIAC president, who was also overseeing terminal operations.
Glicelito Nelmida, an OFW whose flight to Hong Kong was cancelled, traveled with his family and friends all the way from La Union province to send him off.
“I am thankful for the government's cash assistance as I was really worried because of the cancelled flight but this (cash assistance) will help pay for our transportation expenses back to my hometown,” Nelmida said.
CIAC said international flights cancelled as of Saturday morning include those to Hong Kong (Cathay Dragon and Cebu Pacific), Singapore (Air Swift and Jetstar), and Macau (Cebu Pacific).
Areas placed by authorities under the strongest typhoon warning are provinces, where frequent travelers using Clark airport come from, such as Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, Abra, the Ilocos provinces, Batanes, La Union, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and northern Aurora. (PNA)
