PH Revised Entry Requirements For Green Listed Countries

Reclassifies Hong Kong, Dubai, etc., To Yellow

30 November 2021

The Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF) has revised entry protocols from "Green" Listed Countries effective December 1, 2021.

Eligible travelers to the Philippines from “Green” list countries will now be subjected to the same quarantine and testing protocols that apply to arrivals from countries in the “Yellow” list beginning midnight, Philippine time.

Arriving passengers from green countries who flies today or in transit towards Manila are not affected by entry restrictions.

“Except for countries classified as “Red,” the testing and quarantine protocols for all inbound international travelers in all ports of entry shall comply with the testing and quarantine protocols for “Yellow” list countries,” IATF announced today.

Philippine health authorities revised entry protocols to the country as new covid19 variant was discovered in South Africa and recorded in some European Countries, the Middle East and Hong Kong, causing the technical group to expand the list of “Red” countries on Nov. 28, 2021.

Eligible travelers to the Philippines from “Green” list countries will now be subjected to the same quarantine and testing protocols that apply to arrivals from countries in the “Yellow” list.

Travelers for example, from Hong Kong or Dubai, shall follow protocols for ‘Yellow’ countries.

Fully vaccinated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and eligible foreigners arriving from countries in the green and yellow lists with negative RT-PCR tests taken within 72 hours prior departure are required to have facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative results, who should all undergo swabbing on the third day as well as self-monitoring until the 14th day of their arrival.

Those without a negative RT-PCR test should have facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative results, 5th day swabbing as well as home quarantine until the 10th day from arrival.

Travelers who are un-vaccinated, partially vaccinated or whose vaccination status cannot be independently validated are required to have facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative results, 7th day swabbing and home quarantine until the 14th day from arrival.

The revised Red List now includes South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini and Mozambique, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy.

Inbound international travel shall not be allowed for all persons, regardless of vaccination status, coming from or who have been to Red List countries within the last 14 days prior to arrival to any port of the Philippines.

Only Filipinos returning to the country via government-initiated or non-government-initiated repatriation and Bayanihan Flights may be allowed entry subject to the prevailing entry, testing, and quarantine protocols for Red List countries — facility-based quarantine for 14 days with testing on the 7th day, with day 1 being the date of arrival, notwithstanding a negative RT-PCR result.

The IATF has also suspended the entry of fully vaccinated foreign tourists of non-visa required countries from Green List countries.

CEB Receives 1st A330-900Neo

 28 November 2021

Low Cost Carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) flies the first and the most densely configured Airbus A330-900Neo (RP-C3900) in the Philippines. The Rolls Royce Trent7000 powered aircraft is slated to fly Dubai in its inaugural flight.

CEB A330neo aircraft will have a seating capacity of 460 seats in single class configuration.

The aircraft is leased from Dublin-based lessor Avolon, on operating lease to Cebu Pacific. This is the first of eight A330neo aircraft, with the next A330neo deliveries commencing from December 2021 and will be completed in Q2 2024. 

This is the sixth Avolon aircraft on lease at Cebu Pacific, comprising three A320neo aircraft and three A330 family aircraft, which will all be replaced by the neo.

Avolon was the launch customer of the A330neo in 2014 and has a total of 48 A330neo aircraft in its portfolio, with 23 owned and managed, and 25 on order.

1st Cebu Pacific Airbus A330Neo delivered #Airbus #A330Neo #CebuPacific @CebuPacificAir @TLSWatch @aibfamilyflight 🇵🇭 @flightradar24 follow on FR24 https://t.co/kt4ocx8cw5 pic.twitter.com/PElGa3dwPE

— Eurospot (@cliper31) November 27, 2021

Netherlands on Red List

So Why is KLM Still Flying to MNL?

 23 November 2021

The Netherlands is on the red list classification by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF).

Under the covid entry restrictions to the Philippines, passengers from red listed countries are prohibited from entering the country.

If this was the case, then Dutch carrier KLM should not be flying to the Philippines from Amsterdam. So why is it still flying to the country via Bangkok despite its red status?

The answer isn't surprising.

IATF mandates that passengers who have been to, or are originating from, a 'Red List' country within the last 14 days will NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE PHILIPPINES, unless they are RETURNING FILIPINOS traveling on government-initiated, non-government-initiated, and Bayanihan repatriation flights. 

So does it mean it will only transport Filipinos home? Not necessarily.

Also exempted are diplomats and their dependents, EU nationals who hold long term residence visa in the country, and other cross-border workers. They are also allowed to enter the country.

Passengers who merely transited via Amsterdam Schipol airport to Manila (i.e., stopover at the airport only without immigration admission into a red list country) will also not be deemed as having been to this 'Red List' country. Such passengers will need to present their ticket or boarding pass upon arrival to the Philippine Immigration officials.

Since almost all its passengers are Filipinos coming from different parts of the EU who is required or mandated to fly home it basically makes KLM a local carrier doing "bayanihan flights". It sometimes carry a different flight number to Manila to highlight its charter status.

And so KLM flies all Filipinos home from Amsterdam to Manila. To qualify for flight exemption though, It must not changed its pilots and flight crew on its way to Manila. They must stay on the aircraft while at the airport waiting for embarkation. So KLM carries the return crew for flight home on the same flight. There is no quarantine restriction on its flight home other than the digital covid19 vaccination certificate, and the negative RT-PCR infection test.

The airline arrangement on the carriage of the return crew is not uncommon at this time of pandemic, as Philippine Airlines does the same thing for its flights to Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

Returning Filipinos and EU resident workers who originate from the Netherlands must undergo a fourteen (14)-day quarantine period (10 days at quarantine hotels/facilities plus home quarantine for the next days until completion). They will have to undergo an RT-PCR test on the seventh day (the date of arrival being the first day).

The Netherlands will be on the red list together with Faroe Islands from the period November 16 to 30, 2021.

Gensan Opens First International Flight

22 November 2021

Flight Starts 9 December

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has announced that it will fly repatriation flights from Kuala Lumpur to General Santos beginning December 9 next week as transport authorities open the airport as alternate international gateway for returning Filipinos and leisure travelers. It will also accommodate long regional flights from the Middle East.

Dexter Lee, PAL senior vice president and chief strategy and planning officer, said the group will add more flights from the Middle East, the United States, Australia, and various Asian countries to accommodate more Filipinos wanting to be in the Philippines for Christmas and holiday season.

The airline will use Airbus A321 for Kuala Lumpur route once a week, and Airbus A330 for middle east flights to General Santos.

The Inter Agency Task Force for Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF) approved last week the inclusion of General Santos as alternate international gateway for arriving passengers. It joins Panglao, Laoag, Subic, Clark, Davao, and Cebu as quarantine gateway airport in the country.

Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier said during the airport terminal inauguration that it is being considered as alternate international gateway to increase arrival limits and capacity to the country leading up to the peak holiday season.

PAL clarified that Manila will still be the airline's main arrival hub, and shall only be rerouting some international flights as needed this holiday season.

The airline said that they are utilizing new ports of entry to accommodate more returning Filipinos and prevent cancellation of flights due to international arrival limits in NAIA.

Local Carriers To Increase Flights To The Middle East

Quarantine for Passengers from Yellow List Countries Only 

22 November 2021

Local carriers Philippine Airlines, Inc. (PAL) and Cebu Pacific (CEB) has announced it will add more flights from the Middle East to the Philippines in the next two weeks after the government approved easing of quarantine restrictions for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and leisure travelers from green-listed countries last week.

PAL on its part said it will also increase flights to various Asian countries listed on the green  zone as more overseas Filipinos are expected to fly home next month.

 PAL said it recently brought in more than 10,000 overseas Filipinos by using alternate gateways such as Cebu, Bohol, Subic and Davao to prevent the cancellation of their flights.

“These include our recent rerouting of flights from Bangkok to Panglao; Dubai to Subic, Davao or Cebu; Los Angeles and San Francisco to Cebu; Kuala Lumpur to Laoag; Doha to Subic; and other routes,” the flag carrier said in a statement.

The airline however said that increase flights to the United States, Canada and Australia may be possible in December as the Inter Agency Task Force for Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF) removed quarantine protocols to fully vaccinated passengers from green listed countries who test negative from covid19 infections on their arrival to the country under Resolution No. 149-A.

With the easing up of quarantine protocols from green countries, more passengers from yellow listed countries can be accommodated to quarantine facilities in Manila, Cebu, Davao, Clark, Subic, Laoag, and Panglao.

Manila quarantine facility capacity has been raised last week from 4,000 passengers to 6,000 passengers per day to accommodate additional flights from yellow listed countries. Meanwhile, Cebu, Davao, Clark, Subic and Panglao quarantine facilities were also increased to 4,000 from the previous 2,000 to address passenger traffic from yellow listed countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Passengers from green listed countries does not count from quarantine limit beginning 22 November as they will not undergo facility-based quarantine restrictions, unlike those from yellow listed countries.

Local airlines previously lament that more alternative gateways in the country need to be opened due to the Manila arrival limits. This has been addressed by the IATF last week, requiring facility-based quarantine protocols only for passengers arriving from yellow list countries.

Travel from red-list countries, such as Amsterdam

Panglao Receives First International Flight

 21 November 2021

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) officially becomes the first airline to fly international flight at Panglao International Airport in Bohol as it carried 118 repatriated Filipino passengers from Bangkok Wednesday after it was made alternate international gateway to the country by IATF amidst imposed travel restrictions due to covid19 pandemic.

PH Opens Shores to Foreigners

Welcomes Tourists from Green List Countries 

Gate Opens November 22

19 November 2021

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has approved the entry of vaccinated foreign leisure travelers or Tourist from green listed countries effective November 22. 

They will be required to submit the same negative RT-PCR test result taken 72 hours before date of departure.

Presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles confirmed that government reconsidered its position and issued  IATF Resolution 149-A, allowing also the entry of fully vaccinated foreigners who tested negative for COVID-19 using an RT-PCR test within 72 hours prior to arrival, provided they come from countries on the green list.

Previously, only Filipinos, Diplomats, and Foreign residents are permitted entry into the country with negative RT-PCR test results.

"We are calibrating steps in reopening our economy since tourism is a huge part of our growth," Nograles said during a briefing in Malacañang.

Leisure travelers from Yellow list countries are still prohibited from entering the country, according to Nograles.

IATF also increase entry restrictions to the country to 10,000 passengers per day to accommodate foreign tourists arrivals from green list countries.

PH Eases Quarantine Restrictions

 Defers Decision For US, EU, Canada Yet Again

17 November 2021

The Philippine Government eases quarantine restrictions to Green Listed Countries, according to the latest issuance by the National Task Force for Emerging and Infectious Diseases, approved by the President today.

Passengers traveling from Green Listed countries to the Philippine will no longer stay at quarantine hotels effective today.

Yellow listed countries such as the United States, Canada, European Union, Australia, and New Zealand, together with other countries not on the green or red lists are still required to undergo 5 day mandatory quarantine at the hotel of their choice. Previously, they are required to undergo facility based quarantine for 14 days, and take RT-PCR test on the seventh day of their arrival.

IATF said covid19 infections on these yellow listed countries remained high and the risk of infections to Filipinos severe, based on infection data presented by the Bureau of Quarantine on the arriving Filipinos from yellow list countries, including the US, Canada, and the EU.

Meanwhile, the IATF approved the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs for the national COVID-19 vaccination certificates of Australia, Czech Republic, Georgia, India, Japan, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Turkey, and Samoa to be accepted or recognized for purposes of arrival quarantine protocols, as well as for interzonal/intrazonal movement.

Fully vaccinated Filipinos coming from Green List areas need only to present a negative RT-PCR test result taken within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin, and will no longer be required to undergo a facility-based quarantine.

Another option is for them to take an RT-PCR test upon arrival, and undergo a facility-based quarantine until after the release of a negative test result.

Fully vaccinated foreign nationals allowed to enter the Philippines from Green List areas are also required to present a negative RT-PCR test result within 72 hours prior to departure from the origin country and will no longer be required to undergo a facility-based quarantine upon arrival.

Currently, only Filipinos, balikbayan, and resident foreigners with valid and existing visas are allowed to enter the country.

DND Orders 16 More Blackhawks For PAF

16 November 2021

The Department of Defense (DND) has ordered another set of Sikorsky UH-70 Black Hawk helicopters from defense company Lockheed Martin to be manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft subsidiary in Poland Polskie Zaklady Lotnicze Mielec with a price tag of US$242 million.

According to DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, another set of 16 black hawk helicopters will be delivered starting the second quarter of 2023 also in three batches, as he signed the purchase agreement in Warsaw last week.

Lorenzana also disclosed that he also went to Airbus CASA facility in Spain to personally inspect the progress of the three additional C-295W the government ordered for the Philippine Air Force which will start delivery next year.

CEB Reports $440 Million Net Loss

10 November 2021

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) saw net losses grow to US$440 million amidst lower revenues arising from reduced passenger volume and flight activity from January to September this year.

CEB reported the net loss to be 49.8 percent higher than the US$293.7 million (P14.686 billion) net loss incurred in the same period in 2020.

Revenues plunged by 52.7 percent during the nine-month period to $183 million (P9.15 billion) from last year’s $386.8 million (P19.34 billion), attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Passenger revenues in the nine months fell by 71.9 percent year-on-year to P3.34 billion as passenger volume plummeted by 60 percent to 1.9 million from 4.7 million.

The decline in passenger volume was in line with less number of flights by 40.3 percent, coupled with a drop in seat load factor from 79 percent to 55.8 percent.

The airline said lower average fares by 30.4 percent to P1,764 also contributed to lower revenues.

CEB however maintained that it retains in a strong balance sheet and equity position at the end of September.

“The group believes that it remains a resilient airline despite the adverse impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. The group is confident of its ability to raise cash for liquidity needs even if there were unprecedented losses incurred as a result of an expected slow recovery from this crisis,” it said.

PAA to resume HK, SG flights

Limit Passengers to OFWs, Diplomats, Foreign Residents, and Business Travelers

10 November 2021

AirAsia Philippines will resume flights to/from Singapore and Hong Kong in December, but only for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and business travelers.
 
"The resumption of these flights is still limited to essential travel. We are hoping that as Covid-19 cases continue to go down, and with the ongoing progress in the vaccination program, leisure travel will be allowed and border restrictions will be lifted among Filipinos towards the first quarter of 2022," AirAsia Philippines spokesperson Steve Dailisan told the Philippine News Agency.

Beginning Dec. 4, its weekly Manila-Singapore flight will depart Manila every Saturday at 8:00 a.m while a return flight will depart Changi Airport at 12:25 p.m.

On the other hand, a bi-weekly Manila-Hong Kong flight is scheduled on Sundays beginning December 5 at 8:35 a.m. The return flight will leave Hong Kong at 11:55 a.m. and is expected to land in Manila at 2 p.m.

PAF Receives 5 More Blackhawks

 9 November 2021

The Philippine Air Force receives five (5) additional S-70i Black Hawk Helicopters at Clark Air Base on November 08, 2021.  

The Black Hawk helicopters is the third and final batch of delivery by PZL Mielec to the Philippine Air Force and will complete the PAF's preliminary orders for fleet of 16 Black Hawk helicopters.

PAF spokesperson, Col. Maynard Mariano said the last batch of five S-70i "Black Hawk" helicopters were transported to the Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga on Monday morning.

"(The last five S-70i helicopters), it was transported by an Antonov aircraft (An-124) that landed in Clark around 10:45 a.m. Again the (manufacturing) company is the PZL Mielec from Poland. (They are the company that has the license from the US) to build the 'Black Hawk'," Mariano said.

The first batch of six (6) units was delivered in November 2020, followed by the second batch of five (5) units of Black Hawk helicopters in June 2021 and was formally accepted, turned over, and blessed in a simple ceremony on October 13, 2021.

The Black Hawks were first utilized by the PAF in transporting COVID-19 vaccines to various locations in the country in support of the government's effort in the midst of the pandemic.

MacroAsia Bids Back Sangley

8 November 2021

MacroAsia is bidding again construction of Sangley International Airport, this time with more financial and technical muscles as it submits $10.9-billion unsolicited proposal to design, reclaim, construct, develop, and operate Sangley International Airport in Sangley Point, a former US naval base, in partnership with the local government of Cavite.

The new joint venture dubbed SPIA Development Project Consortium is backed by airport financier Yuchengco Group under Cavitex Holdings Inc., the company responsible for the development, design and construction of the 14-kilometer Manila-Cavite Expressway project, airport builder Samsung C&T Corp. of South Korea, airport operator Munich Airport International GmbH, and London-based airport engineering and architecture services firm Arup Group, to form minority management group.

Yuchengco Group under Cavitex Holdings is engaged in construction, infrastructure development, banking, insurance, and automotive services, among others, is expected to take majority non-management portfolio.

MacroAsia will provide management and technical services for the aviation support and logistics component of the project. However, it will be a non-equity member of the consortium.

The joint-venture proposal was submitted by the group to the Province of Cavite last week for their evaluation.

The group said they submitted the proposal to the office of Cavite Gov. Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla.

Province of Cavite earlier canceled the public-private partnership project with MacroAsia Corp. and the state-run China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. (CCCC) due to financial and funding issues.

According to MacroAsia, Phase 1A of the project involves reclamation of 2,000 hectares of land for the construction of a new 4km. runway, taxiway, and passenger terminal building (PTB) which is estimated to cost $2.3 billion. The PTB will have capacity of 15 million passengers on its opening date. 

Another $2 billion is proposed to be earmark for Phase 1B to expand PTB to accommodate capacity to 25 million passengers.

The second phase of the project involves the construction of the second 4k runway and parallel taxiway with a price tag of $6.6 billion.

Phase 2 also includes construction of another PTB to bring airport capacity to 75 million passengers annually.

The new proposal aims to provide an alternative international gateway for Metro Manila, with a view of easing the congestion at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) while also boosting economic growth and enhancing the local tourism and aviation industries in Cavite.

The consortium said it was ready to start full project development activities as soon as the project award is granted.

PAL,CEB Diverts DXB To DVO

 As Dubai Limits MNL Passengers

11 November 2021

 

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Low Cost Carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) is diverting flights to Davao and Cebu in the Philippines as Dubai airline regulator DCAA clamps down flight to and from Manila, in retaliation to flight restrictions imposed by the IATF.

In today's flight, PR659 and 5J009 will both land at Davao International Airport from Dubai today arriving 2:55pm and 3:05pm, respectively.  Passengers will undergo quarantine restrictions in Davao City before they will be transported to Manila for free after 5 days.

Passenger allocation to Cebu, Davao, Clark and Subic has been doubled by the government this week as it increases quarantine capacity for arriving passengers across the country to 6,000 Filipinos daily.

PAL and CEB are rerouting their flights to Dubai to fly from both Cebu and Davao to work around current clampdowns on the number of passengers and flights arriving or leaving the Emirate.

This morning, PAL’s regular Manila-Dubai flight left via Davao on Thursday, carrying 100 passengers, while tomorrows flight will be rerouted from Cebu.

CEB said it has started rerouting passengers to from Dubai to Davao since October 21, and Dubai to Cebu since October 29.

CEB also said they will be rerouting Manila-Dubai flights to fly first to Cebu and Davao before proceeding to the Gulf State.

PAF Intensifies Vaccine Distribution

 As Duterte Orders Expedite Delivery to 7,000 Islands

11 November 2021

Disgusted by poor rollout of the Provincial Governments distribution of Covid19 vaccines to the Municipalities, President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered Secretary of Defense Delfin Lorenzana in Malacanang Tuesday, to expedite transport of vaccines to far flung Municipalities directly by air, bypassing regional and provincial centers.

The directive came after a 148,000 coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) vaccine doses were destroyed in Pagadian City by fire without it being distributed to Municipalities of the Province.

President Duterte has also ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to sanction local government units (LGUs) and local chief executives performing poorly in relation to their respective coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination program rollout.

(I can’t pinpoint what we’re doing wrong if there really is something wrong. Why is the vaccination rollout slow? At the national level, it’s okay. The problem is in the provincial and regional level),” he said in a pre-recorded public address aired Wednesday morning.

He then instructed Lorenzana to transport the vaccines directly to the Municipal level using AFP assets as distribution tend to bogged down at the Regional or Provincial levels.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said the investigation will be conducted by the Department of Health (DOH), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) along with the DILG.

Ano told the President that they are already looking into the possibility of investigating the localities conducting snail-paced vaccination processes to expedite the filing of the appropriate sanctions against them if it is proven that they were negligent or had committed lapses.

The DILG chief issued the warning after the President ordered him to hold local government units and local chief executives accountable for poor performance in the Covid-19 vaccination rollout.

Dubai Strikes Back at MNL Restrictions

Qatar, Saudia Not Happy Too!

4 November 2021

Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) has clamped down on Philippine-based carriers after the Philippine government imposed its flight restrictions into the country amidst covid19 pandemic.

According to source inside the Philippine's Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Dubai regulator wanted compliance to the UAE-RP Air Services Agreement, which means permitting entry into the country of at least 1,000 passengers a day from the Gulf State.

The Philippines has capped entry into the country to 6,000 passengers per day due to quarantine restrictions imposed by the National Task Force for Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF). 

Manila International Airport was limited to handle 3,000 passengers per day from the earlier 1,200 passengers, Mactan Cebu was doubled to 2,000, while the balance is distributed between Clark, Davao and Subic.

The CAB personnel said DCAA wanted 1,000 of this 6,000 daily allotments, which request was denied, as allocations into the country is distributed to different countries with substantial Filipino population. Dubai is merely one of them. Same request for exemption was also filed by Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The Philippine response was not taken lightly by DCAA as it also restricted entry into Dubai to 140 passengers per flight, the same number allocated by the Philippines for entry to Manila airport.

DCAA directive has forced Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific (CEB) to cancel and divert their flights to Dubai as it was not granting them entry for additional passengers beyond the allocation. The new restrictions took effect at the beginning of winter timetable on 27 October.

In an airline advisory, PAL has cancelled flights on October 31 and November 1 and 2, due to Dubai flight restrictions.

PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said their flight for November 3, 4, and 6 from Dubai will be rerouted to Davao while the November 5 flights will be routed to and from Cebu, instead of Manila. 

“Using these alternate gateways will allow us to transport our passengers between the UAE and the Philippines in the coming days.” says Villaluna.

CEB said its Dubai-Davao flights have been in place since October 21, while its Dubai-Cebu flights started on October 29 after passenger restrictions were relaxed.

“We offer ex-Dubai straight to either Davao or Cebu so we can accommodate more passengers coming home,” said CEB spokesperson Pao Lim. 

“Then we provide free flights to Manila after they’ve completed their required quarantine. There are no passenger flights exiting Cebu or Davao to Dubai, only Manila-Dubai, ” adds Lim.

PAL and CEB is preparing flight diversion to fly to Sharjah, another Emirate, just a 30-minute drive to Dubai.

CAB said there is no flight restrictions from going outside the country, particularly Dubai. What IATF restricted is the inflow of passengers coming overseas sufficient to be handled by quarantine facilities in Manila, Cebu, Davao, Clark and Subic.

The CAB official said they are already talking with their counterparts in Dubai to resolve issue soon as the country prepares gradual opening on November 15.

PAL Board Approves Capital Hike

 3 November 2021

The board of Directors of Philippine Airlines, Inc. (PAL) has officially approved the plan to infuse additional capital to the flag carrier at the PAL stockholders’ meeting held last week. 

The plan will be presented to the airline stockholders for approval on November 25, 2021.

The increase capital outlay raises Lucio Tan Group stake in the company to almost 90 percent. 

The airline also appointed new set of directors to oversee the company amid ongoing bankruptcy proceedings in US courts.

PAL board of directors for the year ahead will be composed of Lucio Tan as chair and CEO; Carmen Tan, Rowena Tan Chua, Lucio Tan III, Florentino Herrera III, Mark Chen and Junichiro Miyagawa as directors; Leonardo Alejandrino, Johnip Cua, Juan de Zuñiga Jr. and Samuel Uy as independent directors; and Gilbert Santa Maria as director, company president and COO.

PAL board also approved the appointment of SGV & Co. as the airline’s external auditor for 2021-2022.

The board also approved an amendment to its articles of incorporation reducing the par value of its authorized capital stock from P1 to P0.001, effectively diluting the shares of its existing shareholders, and restoring the par value to P1 to accommodate the capital infusion from Tan which had been announced earlier.

The airline earlier announced that it will receive investments from Buona Sorte Holdings Inc. (BSHI) which, alongside other entities controlled by the Lucio Tan group, will increase their combined stake to 89.49 percent from 80 percent after a P12.75-billion ($255 million) cash injection.

PAL Holdings disclosed the airline will issue 10.2 billion new shares to Buona Sorte—a transaction that requires the go-signal from the Securities and Exchange Commission and shareholders. 

PAL Holdings’ shareholder ANA Holdings of Japan will not participate in the capital call, and will thus see its 9.5 percent stake cut by half to 4.75%.

Buona Sorte Holdings will separately extend a $250- million five-year term loan to Philippine Airlines Inc., which is 99 percent owned by PAL Holdings.

The combined $505 million debt and equity injection would be used by PAL Inc. as “working capital” as it exits Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filed in the United States before the end of the year.

PAL Vaccine Run

 3 November 2021

The Philippines sent its biggest plane to Moscow to secure covid19 vaccines when it procured 2.7 million doses of Sputnik V on Tuesday afternoon as the government intends to inject between 1 and 1.5 million doses daily beginning next week.

Overall, the Philippines has received 108,912,460 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, both procured and donated.

PAL has been contracted by government to fly vaccines from Beijing to Moscow home. See our earlier report here. 

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier urged local government units to speed up their vaccination drives to meet the government's goal of achieving population protection by the end of the year and open back the economy.

To date, the Philippines has administered 59,473,662 doses of Covid-19 vaccines nationwide, with 27,442,969 already fully protected, which is still below the WHO herd immunity guidelines.
 

The country has received a total of 4,390,000 doses from Russia-based manufacturer.

Coast Guard Flies Cessna Caravan

 2 November 2021

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has accepted delivery of its first Brand new Cessna 208EX (N638TL) Grand Caravan aircraft. 

 

The brand new aircraft has been acquired under the PCG's Lightweight Multi-Purpose Fixed Wing Aircraft Acquisition Program with a price tag of 250 million pesos. 

 

It is the first fixed wing aircraft the agency acquired after 30 years. Another four frames are set to be ordered soon by DOTr. 

 

It will replace the Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander plane that is overdue for retirement. PCG operates four BN-2 Islanders. 

 

The new Caravan will be use for Search and Rescue roles, maritime patrols, air surveillance, ambulance, and utility transport. 

 

The heavier Caravan EX variant was certified in December 2012, with a more powerful 867 hp (647 kW) Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-140 engine that improves the rate of climb by 38% and payload increase of 90 lb (41 kg). It also requires a longer take off run at 2,160 feet (660 m) and its landing roll is at 1,871 feet (570 m).