NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government will ask for more sweeper flights as there commercial flights will not resume yet on June 15.

Lacson said they will also request the airlines to allow those who already bought tickets to take the sweeper flights.

“We also like to fill up the plane, but at least we know who are arriving,” the governor said.

Earlier, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the Bacolod-Silay Airport is ready for the resumption of commercial flights. A thermal scanner has been set up and procedures for health protocols are in place.

Meanwhile, Lacson said total arrivals between March 30 to June 10 reached 2,408.

Of this number, 949 are overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and 1,459 are locally stranded individuals ( LSI).

Among the arrivals, 84 LSIs and stranded Negrenses arrived on June 9, 120 on June 10, and 152 were expected to arrive Thursday, he said.

For outbound flights from Bacolod to Manila, there were 151 on June 9, 148 on June 10, and 156 on June 11, he said.

Among the repatriated OFWs via 2Go Malasakit Voyage, 158 arrived via PAL sweeper flights and 196 through Air Asia sweeper flights, the governor added.