Cebu Pacific, NGO in tie-up for OFW benefits

MANILA  -Cebu Pacific will be providing free flights to overseas Filipino worker (OFW) beneficiaries and endorse potential scholarship grants to their children through its partnership with United Filipino Global (UFG), a non-government organization focused on assisting Filipino migrant workers.

The budget airline and UFG inked a memorandum of understanding for the initiative last Oct. 27.

The Gokongwei-led carrier will also mount special flights to provide humanitarian assistance and fly distressed OFWs in cases of natural disasters and emergencies, among others.

Cebu Pacific will also hold internship programs for aspiring flight crew and attendants for OFWs and their children.

“Cebu Pacific looks forward to this partnership with UFG with the objective of assisting OFWs on their journey. Our commitment goes beyond providing flights, it extends to creating a meaningful experience for our kababayans,” Cebu Pacific chief marketing and customer experience officer Candice Iyog said.

“We understand the challenges they face, and we are providing the necessary support aside from our commitment to make air travel safe, reliable, and affordable,” she added.

“We are hoping that we can be an instrument for our OFWs and their children, and continue to make a difference in their lives,” UFG president Gemma Soto said.

In 2021, Cebu Pacific repatriated more than 11,000 Filipinos from Dubai and the Middle East during the pandemic.

The budget carrier’s network currently covers 35 domestic and 25 international destinations across Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

It is set to launch its newest route, Da Nang, Vietnam, on Dec. 7. Next year, the airline targets to relaunch Manila-Beijing flights.