(CMR) The Philippines has closed all of its airports to commercial flights as of Sunday, May 3, 2020, with no notice after it experienced a surge in returning Filipino workers. It was alleged that their quarantine capacity was full and they could not accept any returning residents. The closure has left 13 Filipinos who left Cayman stranded in Atlanta, Georgia and another seven in the UK.
Internationally thousands are stranded included over 1,200 in Los Angeles, California.
One social media post shared that they were to leave 12:30 pm today but Korean Air refused to allow them to check-in after the last-minute closure. Additionally, seven had reached London England and are now stranded there.
Many other persons around the world expressed displeasure at the government abrupt decision. The head of the task force overseeing the country's efforts to check the spread of Covid-19, sent a text message on Sunday stating only flights carrying returning Filipino workers were suspended.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said in a post on its Facebook page on Saturday (May 2) that all commercial flights “to and from the Philippines” had been suspended starting at 8am on Sunday.
It did not say how long the ban would last.
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