Filipinos stranded due to Covid can join deportation exercise Friday

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Juvy

KOTA KINABALU: Sandakan-based Dakota Shipping Sdn Bhd  chief executive officer (CEO) Juvy Tulipas has reminded passengers not to dispose of their  expired  Sandakan-Zamboanga ferry tickets.

She said Dakota, the appointed agent  in-charge of ferrying  Filipino deportees in Sabah will request the mother company in Zamboanga City to continue to recognise and accept expired tickets purchased  since the pandemic outbreak last year.

“I am optimistic the management of Aleson Shipping Line will respond positively to my request. The bosses are kind hearted and understand the present situation,” she said on Tuesday.

Juvy said she  received numerous calls from the public inquiring about the validity of expired ferry tickets.

“Just wait and allow me first to talk to the management in Zamboanga City. I am very hopeful to get an encouraging response,” she reiterated.

The lady boss also thanked the Sabah government particularly the Sabah Security Council, Immigration Department and other local authorities on the systematic and problem-free manner deportation exercises have been  carried out in Sandakan.

“We heard another deportation exercise will be held  later this week. Dakota is always ready to give our helping hands to the local authorities concerned,” she stressed.

Meanwhile, a realiable source said  some 500 Filipino illegal immigrants will be deported to Zamboanga City on Friday.

This time around, the source said regular passengers will be allowed to participate in the 18-hour sea journey back home.

The source said a team from the  Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur will be arriving in Sandakan soon to screen and issue special deportation passes to the deportees and at the same time supervise and monitor the conduct of RT-PCR swabbing test.

The  consular  team will also assist with Sabah Immigration officials and other local authorities during the actual deportation exercise, the source added.

Sabah authorities are more than ready and willing send back Filipinos who violated immigration laws any time, the source said adding that what is hampering the deportation exercise is Zamboanga City’s refusal to accept their countrymen due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases.