Flight fr. AU to PH | Covid-19 (01-21)

Hello everyone! 

I would like to share some of our experience with my mother's safe return home to the Philippines in the midst of pandemic. I thought I'd share my mother's experience as it might help others who are looking into going back home (specially if you are originating from Australia like my mother).

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This is based on my mother's experience. Rules could change anytime. Please check with relevant websites / departments for most updated guidelines. I have linked some of them here.

As a background, please note my mother is non-OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) and was on tourist visa when at the time of her departure back to PH.

Booking of the Flight

We booked the flight from Brisbane, AU to Manila, PH via Singapore (SG) Airlines with four-hour lay-over in SG. It's around AUD 1,000.00 so actually not too expensive compared to what we were expecting given the scarcity of the flights. 

We booked the flight 16th of December 2020 for a flight of 13th January 2021 and arrival to Manila, PH on the 14th of January 2021. Yes, we did not book way in advance and there's actually regular flights via SG Airlines at that time. I think they have the same flight weekly (on Wednesdays).

They also have an option for free rebooking which we took, 'cause honestly you will never know.

Preparation for The Flight

Aside from the usual prep of flying internationally like ensuring you have valid passport (not yet expired), your baggage and fluids on carry-on are within weight limits (see here), your tickets are printed or are on your phone, the additional preparations we have done due to updated protocols are the following:

• Filled-Out Philippine Red Cross — e-CIF Registration as early as 3 days prior to departure. As per the website, this form is to minimize the spread of COVID-19 into the Philippines through our ports of entry, it also ensures that anyone arriving into the country will be tested for COVID-19. This form will give you a QR code via email. You can save the QR code on your phone for easy access upon arrival in PH.

• You will also have to fill-out Affidavit of Undertaking which will be presented as well upon arrival in PH.

• As my mother was on Bridging Visa A awaiting result of the tourist visa extension we requested, it was required that she has Bridging Visa B to fly outside Australia. We unfortunately missed this step, and it was too late to apply before her flight. We still pushed thru the flight and instead withdrew her tourist visa extension application to avoid rejection on her records.

• Another preparation we have is looking at hotels we can book for her quarantine. We were originally thinking of booking at ZEN Hotel due to they have meal plan on offer, however, days before my mother's flight the protocol has changed and Australia became included on the list of banned countries to PH due to the new Covid-19 strain. My mother was still allowed to push thru her flight as she is a Philippine Passport holder, however what changed is that even if she gets negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test few days into her quarantine, she will still be required to complete 14-day hotel quarantine.

It was honestly a bit stressful time for us when it was announced cause 14 days seems too long and not to mention costly (but I understand the PH govt had to put necessary measures in place). We were thinking of rebooking her flight with the hopes the rule reverts to the one prior wherein you get released from quarantine as soon as negative result comes out, however we still pushed thru as honestly you will never know and it could only delay her ultimate home-return date.

Though my mother flew SG Airlines, this link from PAL (Philippines Airlines) has been very helpful (see here) in our preparation. NOTE: The procedure has changed slightly since my mother's return, so please be guided accordingly.

SG Airlines emailed my mother a week prior her flight asking for the following (NOTE: in green are our response to their email) - 

• Passport Nationality: Filipino
• Visa or Residency documents for final destination: Philippine Passport
• Required Health documents for final destination: Completed e-CIF Registration

Flight Day

On flight day, we arrived at the Brisbane International Airport four hours before her departure. It was the first time I've been to an airport since the pandemic, and wow what a sight. Not much people in there specially at the departure floor.

The additional step taken by my mother outside of the usual immigration process before departure is that her passport had to be checked by Australian Defence Force (ADF). This is to ensure it's not an Australian Passport. Reason is, I believe, Australian Passport holder must have special permit to leave Australia. 

Another different item on the process is, it was my mom (passenger) who had to bring her luggage to the conveyor belt after it was weighed at the counter to be loaded to the aircraft. 

Lastly, mask in airport is required and in the aircraft.

Transiting in Singapore

Additional requirement upon arrival in SG is that they had to wear a faceshield. My mother doesn't have on so had to buy one for SGD 2.00 (thanks to a fellow kababayan on the same flight who paid for hers 'cause she does not have SG dollars). In prep, I think you can get one from Chemist Warehouse here in AU.

My mother did not have to get special visa or permit or negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test prior to transiting in SG. More info on this here (see here). 

Arrival in Manila, PH

As per my mother, upon her arrival in Manila Airport they lined up for the Covid-Test. She had Philippine peso ready specifically PHP 4,000.00 for the test. They were tested twice but they only paid for one. I believe the first one is for checking if they are positive/negative and the other is for genome testing which the government shouldered.  If you are OFW, government will shoulder all test fee.

After the test, they were asked to wait for hotel assignment. In cases where hotels designated by the Philippine government are at full capacity, non-OFWs and eligible non-Filipinos must prepare to shoulder their accommodation in one of the hotels suitable for the 14-day stringent quarantine.

Personally, we did not book any hotels for my mother prior and actually hoped she will get a slot on one of the government-provided quarantine facilities (and she did!). I would admit though that it was a bit risky not booking anything. Our game plan was for my mother to call me right away if she won't get assigned to any facility. 

I believe there are hotels on the list suitable for the 14-day stringent quarantine that allows for no booking fee and allows cancellation on the day and you will only pay for the first night if you cancel on the day. It could be an option - note, we have not tried this route so this is only an idea.

Quarantine for 14 Days

Fortunately, my mother got a slot. We were honestly worried a bit as prior to my mother's flight, there's news going around where it says the facilities were not good. However, it appears the procedure has improved. 

From the airport, they were transported via a bus to the quarantine facility.

My mother was assigned to go to Bayview Park Hotel which is actually a good hotel. She got a standard room (with complete facilities such as fully-equiped bathroom, aircon and television). 

They were provided food and drinking water daily (three times a day). It's being left in front of her room placed on individual chair by the door for her to pick-up. If they needed additional item from outside, they can ask the hotel staff via phone and give them the money to buy them - my mother asked to buy Skyflakes.

As per my mother, PH govt nurses rang her regularly to check on her which honestly I found very impressive.

My mother got her negative test result advice via email on her second day of quarantine. Yes, that quick. Kudos to Philippine Airport Diagnostic Lab.

My impression of the whole experience my mother had in the quarantine, based on her daily updates to us via chat and video call, was actually very good. 

Coming Home

Few days before my mother's 14th day in quarantine, the procedure has changed again -  PH govt announced that for anyone coming from the list of banned countries (including Australia) will have the option to take additional COVID-19 RT-PCR test on their 5th day in quarantine (after the initial test coming out as negative). If the second test comes out negative, then they can go home and not complete 14 days of quarantine in the hotel. You will have to shoulder the cost of this, I believe, if you are non-OFW.

My mother opted to not take the second test and just proceed with her quarantine as planned as it was almost done.

The day before my mother's last day in quarantine, she received a medical certificate from Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) advising that she is good to be released from the hotel.

If you are non-OFW, you have to arrange your own transport from the hotel back to your home.

As of this writing, my mother is now reunited with my father and sisters back in our PH home.

What An Experience

I hope you find this helpful. I find this experience very enlightening 'cause I have honestly found no single source of info. You will have to go to multiple websites to prepare for the flight, however once you have all of them you will find them pretty straight forward. Here's a very simple checklist based on the above. Again, this is not official and based on experience only.

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Sincerely hope there will be one single source of info (the closest we got to that is the link from PAL - linked above and here (see here)), but at best it is still not official as it is not government website.

However, overall, my mother's experience in quarantine specially with the quarantine nurses as well as the facility were very good and kudos to the department looking after that.

xx, Belle.