Like Tom Hanks in the movie, The Terminal, seven travelers were refused entry by immigration authorities and spent a night at NAIA unsure if they’d be deported.
SEVEN Malaysian travelers who were stranded at the Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport, have been allowed to enter the Philippines following embassy intervention.
Arriving from an 8:30 am flight from Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, February 13, the passengers were informed by immigration authorities that the Malaysian digital vaccine certificate in the MySejahtera app was not an acceptable proof of vaccination.
“Our passports have been confiscated, and we were told that we would be deported,” one of the passengers told a Malaysian media. “As there are no hotels available, we are being made to sleep on benches or the floor.”
The affected travelers were told that they would be deported on Tuesday, Feb 15.
Ambassador of Malaysia to the Philippines Norman Muhamad personally met with the stranded passengers at the airport and immediately worked for an appeal for the vaccination reciprocity.
The ambassador allegedly told the passengers that the Embassy had sent for an appeal to the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs as early as Feb. 10 but had not received an update.
Immigration officers also insisted that the Embassy must wait until Monday morning to liaise with DFA to seek approval, forcing the passengers to stay in NAIA overnight.
“We are feeling frustrated at not being allowed into the country. We worry most about being deported,” said one of the passengers. The travelers came to the PH for business, personal, and humanitarian reasons.
On Feb 14, around 6 pm, Malaysian Foreign Ministry Wisma Putra announced on Twitter that the seven Malaysians have been granted entry to the Philippines.
“Wisma Putra is pleased to inform that 7 fellow Malaysians who were stranded at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport have been allowed to enter the Philippines, following swift action by our Malaysian Embassy in Manila. Kudos team @myembassymanila!”
Today, Feb 15 DFA updated the list of countries/territories whose vaccine certificates are accepted on mutual recognition adding Ireland and Malaysia for a total of 40 countries.
The full list is viewable on the DFA website and other social media sites.
Tags: #Malaysian, #NAIA, #DFA