Cebu Airport Issues New Guidelines for Domestic Passengers

The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has released the guidelines and documentary requirements to be accomplished by domestic flight passengers upon check-in at their airport of origin and upon arrival in Cebu.

Andrew Harrison, chief executive advisor of the MCIA’s private management, GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation, said in an advisory on Sunday night that the new protocols are laid down to comply with the regulations of the Cebu provincial government and the city governments of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

Under the new guidelines, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) or returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) need to present documentary requirements such as the passport, quarantine certificate stating completion of 14-day facility-based quarantine and negative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test result, and any valid identification card as proof of residence.

The locally stranded individuals (LSIs) also need to present a medical certificate from the municipal or city health officer of the local government unit (LGU) where they were stranded.

The LSIs will also be made to present a letter of confirmation from the LGU of destination under Cebu province. However, this document is not required for the tri-cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue.

Travel authority from Joint Task Force Covid Shield is also needed for every LSI who would fly to Cebu via MCIA.

Persons who will be traveling for medical reasons are advised to obtain a certification from LGU of residence for travel purposes, as well as certification from the Cebu provincial capitol. There is also no more need to secure certification from the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu.

However, traveling patients need to present a medical certificate from the health center of the LGU where he or she is currently residing.

Those who will be traveling for work or business need to book for round-trip plane ticket and attach documentary requirements such as company ID or proof of profession and certificate of employment or profession that will state the purpose of travel.

Traveling businessmen or workers will also be asked to present their travel authority from the JTF Covid Shield, except for authorized persons outside the residence, as well as certification from the Cebu provincial government if destination is one of the 44 municipalities or six component cities here.

The MCIA reiterated the government’s prohibition against travel for leisure purposes for all persons who are below 21 years old, elderlies who are 60 years old and above, and pregnant women.

The MCIA advisory said that passengers with incomplete documents will not be allowed to check-in and/or board the aircraft.

“Passengers are strongly advised to continuously monitor the status of their flights and to ensure that they have the necessary documents in compliance with the regulations and guidelines of the LGU of their point of origin and destination,” a portion of the advisory read.

The management has set up a government’s Information and Assistance Desk at the Airport Village.

The desk will be manned 24/7 by representatives or personnel from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 7, and representatives from LGUs in Cebu.

Both the MCIA’s domestic and international terminals have already been equipped with safety and health standards such as markings for physical distancing, touchless check-in and boarding, as well as public address to remind passengers to observe those protocols. (PNA)