Broke and helpless: Philippines COVID-19 lockdown maroons dozens at airport

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MANILA: Broke and jobless, Ruel Damaso is sleeping on cardboard and surviving on food handouts at Manila airport where dozens were left stranded after a partial coronavirus lockdown was reimposed on Tuesday (Aug 4).

More than 27 million people in the capital and four surrounding provinces were given 24 hours' notice of the new restrictions that have shut many businesses, halted public transport and grounded flights as the government struggled against a COVID-19 surge.

Struggling to survive on part-time factory work after the first lockdown in March crippled the economy and stripped millions of their jobs, Damaso had decided to leave Manila.

With nowhere else to stay, he arrived at the airport on Saturday with two former colleagues and was supposed to fly home on Tuesday to the southern city of Zamboanga.

Now, he is stuck at the terminal, where staff wearing white protective suits, face shields and masks deal with the stranded passengers.

"We've run out of money. We can't leave the airport because we don't have any relatives here," the 36-year-old told AFP inside the terminal, a towel wrapped around his shoulders for warmth in the freezing air conditioning.

"We will have to stay here for two weeks until our flights are back on."

President Rodrigo Duterte reluctantly reimposed stay-at-home orders and other measures in response to a plea from overwhelmed health workers, who had warned that the country was losing the battle against the virus.

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