New transit lounge for OFWs opens at NAIA Terminal 3

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) traveling through Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 can now access a newly opened transit lounge designed for passengers with connecting flights, Wednesday, Nov. 11.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) formally launched the facility after a month-long pilot run, offering amenities such as beds, shower rooms and massage chairs for departing and returning OFWs.

According to a Philippine News Agency report, more than 2,000 OFWs and their family members have already used the lounge, which can accommodate up to 26 people at a time.

OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said the facility is intended to provide a resting area for workers facing long layovers or extended travel times. Access is limited to a maximum of three hours to allow more passengers to use the service.

OFWs with confirmed international departures and those arriving from overseas with connecting domestic flights are eligible to use the lounge on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on availability.

Caunan said passengers requiring a longer stay may use the existing OFW Lounge at Terminal 3, which offers food and seating areas.

The transit lounge supplements OWWA's existing assistance facilities for migrant workers at the airport.

Paraluman News from a report of Marita Moaje/Philippine News Agency