Metro Manila, Philippines – A circular from flagship carrier Oman Air dated March 1 has been making rounds online after some Filipinos were reportedly required to submit a negative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test result before boarding flights.
The advisory stated that Filipinos are obligated to present a result, regardless of their country of departure as part of its pre-arrival medical examination requirement.
It also applies to those in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.
The advisory said children are exempted from the policy.
Only results from accredited clinics or medical centers will be accepted by airline ground staff.
Meanwhile, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac on Friday, April 17, said the government is still awaiting confirmation on the policy.
“We have heard of such a requirement, but we are still reaching out and validating this with the host government,” Cacdac said.
“And rest assured, we are assisting OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) who have encountered this kind of situation. But at this stage, we cannot confirm if such a requirement is indeed in place,” he added.
Earlier this week, the Philippine Embassy in Muscat said it has yet to receive official confirmation from Omani authorities regarding the matter.
