Some stranded passengers who wanted to return to their provinces are sleeping at the sidewalk outside NAIA Terminal 3.
Many of them already have tickets which got canceled on the same day of their flights. They had no choice but to sleep on the sidewalk because they do not have enough money to rent a room.
They have been at the airport for four days, and their new flight schedule is in July, meaning they will have to wait for another two weeks.
Hamida Basit and her colleagues wanted to return to Cotabato, Gensan, Bohol, and Davao.
“Sana po may sasalo sa amin, may rescue kahit man lang tirahan lang makatulog nang maayos, [‘yung] wala kami pangamba na makahalubilo namin wala sakit,” said Hamida Basit.
(We hope someone could rescue us who could give us accommodation so we could sleep well. We don’t worry if we encounter anyone who was not ill.)
Life on the sidewalk is difficult.
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“Kailangan pa po bayad 25 para maka cr, araw araw ilang beses kami CR… Tatlo, apat, saan kami [kukuha] ng budget?” said Basit.
(We need to pay 25 pesos every time we have to use the comfort room. We use the CR three to four times, where would we get the budget?)
“Marami kasi siksikan, wala [physical] distancing, ‘di namin alam sino kahalubilo namin may sakit man o wala, isipin na lang natin wala, pero yung araw at ulan dinaranas namin dito,” she added.
(We are crowded, there is no physical distancing. We don’t know if those we encounter are sick or not.)
Even if they want to get into the Philippine Army Gym and Villamor Airbase Elementary School, where other stranded passengers were sent last week, they can’t do it because the facility is already full.
Some gave food to the stranded passengers.
According to DOTr Assistant Secretary Eymard Eje, they will pick up the stranded passengers to return them to the barangay where they came from while they wait for their flights to their province.
“Kausap ko na kinatawan ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) at papupuntahan sila ng mga tauhan para sunduin doon sa kinalalagyan nila, especially doon sa Andrews Avenue, at iisa-isahing ihatid sa kanilang mga barangay,” said Eje.
(I already talked to the DILG, and our personnel would pick them up there, especially those in Andrews Avenue. Then we will bring them home to their barangay.)