Transportation Secretary Art Tugade requested on Sunday, Jan 9., airline companies to prepare a comprehensive presentation to justify their request to shorten the quarantine and isolation protocols to flight crew.
Tugade said he and Presidential Adviser on COVID-19 response Sec. Vince Dizon have already met with the airline executives to discuss the proposal.
"Their proposal is to apply to flight crew the shortened quarantine and isolation protocols implemented to medical and health care workers. We requested the airlines to prepare a comprehensive presentation for the appreciation of the IATF," said Tugade.
During the discussion the airline executives argued that shortened quarantine and isolation protocols for flight crew would address the current insufficiency of manpower experienced by local carriers due to flight crew being exposed to COVID-19 positive individuals requiring quarantine.
They also stated that the request is aimed at ensuring that the operations of commercial and government flights would not be hampered, especially in the transport of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
It is also aimed at avoiding fewer flights that might also have an impact on the transport of medical supplies including vaccines to different provinces