There will be no "special flight" for Filipinos stranded in Macau, the Philippine Consulate-General in Macau has announced.
A statement by the consulate yesterday said that "this development is regrettable," adding: "We appeal for the continuing understanding and cooperation of the Filipino community in Macau, especially those left stranded by the flight cancellations.
"The consulate reiterates its appeal to all Filipinos affected by the flight cancellations to take other options such as arranging their return flight to the Philippines through alternative commercial routes."
Yesterday's statement came after an "advisory" issued by the consulate on February 13 which "indicated that a special flight is being arranged in a week for Filipinos who were affected by the cancellation of regular direct flights from Macau." The consulate said in the statement that it "received information today [Thursday] that discussions with concerned airlines on this special flight met a setback on concerns by airlines regarding quarantine procedures for the flight crew."
The statement cited the Macau Immigration Department as saying that "the extension of visas of Filipinos affected by the flight cancellations will be made on a case-to-case basis upon presentation of the confirmed booking and other pertinent documents."
However, the statement pointed out that according to the Immigration Department, each visa "extension will be limited to allow the Filipinos to arrange for the return flight," adding that "no extension will be granted to allow Filipinos to look for employment."
The statement urged Philippine nationals facing an emergency situation to call the consulate's hotline +85366981900.
Informed sources told The Macau Post Daily last week they believed that several hundred Filipino visitors have been stranded in Macau in the wake of the cancellation of Macau-Philippine flights due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.
The sources said they believed that those stranded here include Filipinos visiting their relatives and/or looking for a job.
According to Macau Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) data, the city's 196,538 non-resident workers (migrant workers) at the end of last year included 33,781 Filipinos. Non-resident workers from the Philippines plus several thousand Filipinos holding Macau ID cards make up the special administrative region's biggest foreign community, accounting for around 5 percent of the population.
Macau has confirmed 10 COVID-19 cases, comprising seven tourists from Wuhan and three locals. Six of the patients - all of them from Wuhan - have meanwhile been discharged from hospital and returned to the mainland.
Macau's last non coronavirus cases were confirmed on February 4. The government has imposed strict border control and casino entry restrictions to control the epidemic.
