ILOILO CITY— The Kalibo Airport is set to lift its three-day lockdown on Friday, January 22, after going through thorough disinfection.
“It resumes operation tomorrow,” said Aklan Provincial Administrator Selwyn Ibarreta Thursday, January 21.
The three-day lockdown started Tuesday, January 19, when the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) decided to shut down operations when 18 persons working in the airport reportedly contracted COVID-19.
“Health personnel also had to conduct contact tracing,” said Ibarreta.
Health officials traced the first seven COVD-19 cases to personnel of Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) who are assigned at the airport. The spread of COVID-19 infection mostly affected utility workers.
According to Ibarreta, the three-day shutdown of the airport did not affect Boracay Island in Malay town as Kalibo Airport has only been catering to returning locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Ibarreta clarified that tourists going to and from Boracay now pass through Caticlan Airport in mainland Malay town.