Cebu Pacific plane safely landed in Mactan after landing gear issues

All passengers of a Cebu Pacific flight that made an emergency landing in Mactan on March 8 are safe after the aircraft returned due to issues with its landing gear.

The Mactan-Cebu International Airport Aviation Authority said that Flight 5J 588, which departed on Saturday from Mactan at 4:41 a.m., returned to the airport at 05:29 a.m. to "ensure the safety of the passengers, crew, and airport operations, ensuring that all protocols were followed" after the pilots prompted a mechanical issue.

The airport said all passengers were immediately transferred to the replacement aircraft, which departed from Mactan at 7:09 a.m. and safely landed in Manila at 8:04 a.m.

"The safety and security of all passengers and personnel remain our top priority, and we extend our gratitude to all involved for their swift response," it said. 

Facebook user Stephanie de Jesus took to Facebook to share her "overwhelming" experience on the aircraft.

"Sitting on the exit row was not easy as I was overwhelmed and scared with the current situation plus the responsibility I was given after impact/landing," she wrote, sharing a clip of flight attendants showing passengers the exits of the plane.

"Thankful for a safe landing. Kudos to the crew and the pilot for doing an excellent job under pressure."

In another video, she shared that passengers were given water and food but said that these "don't address the emotional disruption" they experienced.

"The malfunctioning of the plane's landing gear is a very serious and dangerous situation... Imagine the trauma it caused us. All of us passengers expect a higher level of care, compensation and psychological support," De Jesus said.

Cebu Pacific has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident, as of writing