Citing the increasing demand for Filipinos wanting to go home from abroad, the province of Ilocos Norte has finally allowed regional flights to open at the Laoag International Airport (LIA).

“The aircraft departed from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with 151 passengers. Most of them are overseas Filipino workers and assisted by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration,” Provincial Economic Group consultant Cipriano “Perry” Martinez said Tuesday following a “trial run” for regional flight at the LIA on June 19.

He said the management of Philippine Airlines earlier requested Gov. Matthew Joseph Manotoc to allow the opening of regional flights at the LIA as quarantine hotels in Manila and Clark have reached maximum capacity.

The request was approved by the governor provided they all agree to “security precautions”.

It is also beneficial to the hotel industry in the province as the passengers will quarantine in the accredited quarantine hotels such Sola, Vybes, ENZ, and Rio Grande in Laoag, Pamulinawen Hotel in San Nicolas and Playa Hotel in Currimao town, Martinez said.

As part of the health and safety protocols, Martinez said all arriving passengers were fetched from the airport to their quarantine hotel.

On the seventh day of quarantine, they will again be subjected to swab testing and if the result is negative, they can finally go home on the 10th day of quarantine while those who test positive for coronavirus disease 2019 will be isolated until they are infection-free. (PNA)