PHILIPPINES: The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has issued a statement on an incident at the OFW Lounge in Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.
The incident involved an overseas Filipino worker who had just returned from Dubai. In a post on its official Facebook page, the agency recognized the exhaustion and needs of the arriving worker.
OWWA based its initial account on CCTV footage, incident reports, and statements from staff on duty. According to the agency, the worker was let into the lounge, and personnel helped with registration and baggage.
The worker had no connecting domestic flight and planned to travel home to Romblon by land and sea. OWWA said staff still allowed entry as a form of assistance and told the worker that food and drinks were available.
The agency also explained who the lounge is for. The OFW Airport Lounge sits in the departure area and mainly serves workers with departing or connecting flights. Arriving OFWs who need help can go to the OWWA Airport Arrival Assistance Desk, located past Customs at NAIA Terminals 1 and 3. The desk offers arrival assistance, transportation, food, and temporary accommodation.
OWWA said its review is still ongoing. It pledged to correct any lapses and to release verified findings once the review is complete. No timeline has been announced.
You can read the full statement from OWWA Below:
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐Nauunawaan ng OWWA ang pagod at pangangailangan ng ating kababayang dumating mula Dubai.Batay sa CCTV footage, incident reports, at statements ng mga personnel na naroon, nakapasok ang concerned OFW sa OFW Lounge at na-assist ng ating personnel sa kanyang registration at mga bagahe. Wala siyang connecting domestic flight dahil magpapatuloy siya patungong Romblon sa pamamagitan ng land and sea travel, ngunit bilang tulong ay pinayagan pa rin siyang makapasok sa lounge at inabisuhang maaari siyang kumuha ng pagkain at inumin.๐๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฐ๐ข๐ง ๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ง๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ. ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ง๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง ๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐, ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ฒ๐จ๐ง, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ข๐ง, ๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ญ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐.Patuloy naming kinukumpleto ang pagsusuri sa pamamagitan ng CCTV, service records, at statements ng mga personnel at witnesses upang malinaw ang buong sequence of events.Kung may pagkukulang, aayusin natin. At kapag nakumpleto ang pagsusuri, ilalabas natin ang verified facts nang maayos, patas, at may respeto sa lahat.