MANILA -- The Philippine Airlines on Wednesday stood by its decision to refuse a Filipina woman with a respiratory condition to fly without a portable oxygen concentrator.

ABC7 News reported about Jovita Domingo, who has been stuck in the Philippines since December after she was not allowed onboard a PAL flight without a portable oxygen concentrator.

According to Jovita's son, Moses, his mother went back to the Philippines in September to visit her family, and was supposed to go back home to California last Dec. 5.

Jovita has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the airline told her she could not be accommodated without a portable oxygen concentrator, which, according to Moses, costs around $3,100 (around P174,000).

Moses said his mother then went to different doctors to prove that she was healthy enough to fly, but she was still not allowed.

According to PAL, their decision was based on the assessment of their expert medical team, who believes it would be best for Jovita to travel with a portable oxygen concentrator.

"In this particular case, it is the assessment of our expert medical team that we can fly our passenger home only if she travels with oxygen support appropriate for such a long-distance journey, based on her latest test results and her particular medical condition," PAL said in a statement.

"While we respect the opinion of other doctors, we cannot however waive the oxygen requirement which is a paramount safety concern. If the family so chooses, we are ready to issue a full refund or travel credits to enable her to fly on another airline if needed," PAL added.

PAL said they will be assisting Jovita and her family in traveling with a portable oxygen concentrator, or to avail of their own inflight oxygen service.

"We will keep communication lines open and we will do all we can to assist her and her family in traveling with a portable oxygen concentrator (POC), or to avail of our own inflight oxygen service, so that she may be able to travel home in safety and comfort," PAL said.

Moses also told ABC7 News that PAL, the Philippine Consulate and the Department of Tourism have all reached out to him, and are currently working on ways to help Jovita.