By Vanne Elaine Terrazola  The country’s flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has called on officials of the Department of Health (DOH) to "speak up" and clarify to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III that it has been cooperating with authorities about the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). (Manila Bulletin File Photo) PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna issued the appeal Wednesday morning and maintained that PAL has been coordinating with the DOH in tracing the passengers who were with the Chinese nationals infected with the 2019-nCoV. "Meron po tayong (We have an) interaction, that's why we are urging the people that we're dealing with to speak up and to relay everything to Sec. Duque," Villaluna said over radio DZBB. Duque, during a Senate hearing on Tuesday, claimed that airline companies refused to provide them with details of the concerned passengers and allegedly invoked the Data Privacy Act. He was justifying to senators the slow contact tracing that the DOH has launched since the 38-year-old Chinese woman tested positive for the virus last week. Her companion, a 44-year-old man, died of severe pneumonia on Saturday. The Chinese couple were from Wuhan, China -- the epicentre of the 2019-nCoV -- and arrived in Cebu via Hong Kong last January 21. On January 25, they flew to Manila aboard PAL's flight PR 2542 from Dumaguete. Villaluna said "there is no reason for PAL to withhold such information." "We will never invoke our data privacy because this is an in issue of national interest and public welfare," she added. "With all due respect to the Health Secretary, there are people that the airline is coordinating with, the DOH, and BOQ (Bureau of Quarantine)," she said. She said PAL immediately gave the BOQ the list of passengers and their contact details. He said the company has also been communicating with the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, whom Duque quoted in his claim. Villaluna also pointed out that PAL has taken the initiative to contact each of the passengers, aside from those who were seated close to the infected Chinese nationals They have so far reached out to 75 of the total 132 passengers of flight PR 2542, she said. This includes the 33 passengers near the Chinese couple. As for the other passengers, Villaluna said they are challenged by some who did provide contact details and those who do not answer their calls. While the company is open to cooperating with law enforcement agencies. "If they want the list, from us, we will provide it if necessary but we just like to reiterate that the list is with the DOH," she said. Villaluna said the "right information" should be given to Secretary Duque. Read more: Cebu Pacific continues to trace patients’ co-passengers