12 Canadian nationals stranded in Ilocos, flown back home

LAOAG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, April 18, 2020–Airport manager Ronald Estabillo reported that the twelve vacationing Canadian nationals, who were stranded in Ilocos due to COVID-19 pandemic, were flown back to their homeland in Canada.

Estabillo said a Philippine Airlines domestic plane landed here on Saturday, April 18, 2020, and picked the Canadian passengers for the connecting flight in Manila.

He said the PAL plane arrived here with no single passenger on board except for the medical cargo for use by frontliners in Ilocos and Cordillera regions which were addressed under his name.

The said Canadian flight back home was arranged by the Canadian government with the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism and PAL management, he added.

In line with the province’s total lockdown, he explained, that the PAL crew, who arrived here, stayed only at the ramp and were restricted to go to the arrival area except for extreme necessity. (jun r. guiang w/ report from tri-media)