MALACAÑANG on Tuesday, August 13, advised Filipino travelers to avoid visiting Hong Kong, as pro-democracy protests continue in China's special administrative region.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo gave the advice a day after all arriving and departing flights in Hong Kong were cancelled because of thousands of demonstrators who descended on the Hong Kong International Airport.
"Kung gusto mong pumunta ngayon sa Hong Kong, this is not the right time to go there kasi 'yung flight mo biglang naka-cancel (If you want to go to Hong Kong, this is not the right time because your flight may be cancelled)," the Palace official said in a press conference.
"Avoid muna going there (Avoid going there for now). That's the advice kasi (because) you're not sure whether you're going to reach Hong Kong in the first place," he added.
In the Philippines, more than 20 flights of Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air and Cathay Pacific were affected.
Mass demonstrations in the semi-autonomous Chinese financial hub were triggered by opposition to a proposed law that would allow extradition from Hong Kong to mainland China.
Over 5,000 black-clad pro-democracy protesters trooped to Hong Kong airport on Monday, August 13, to denounce police violence.
This forced airport authorities to cancel all flights.
Hong Kong International Airport reopened on Tuesday, but hundreds of flights remained listed as cancelled. PAL, however, announced that it has resumed operations to and from Hong Kong. (SunStar Philippines)