MARINDUQUE AIRPORT SOON TO OPEN

BY: MAYDA LAGRAN

BOAC, Marinduque, Aug. 8 (PIA) — Marinduque Airport will open before September 1, Liga ng mga Barangay President, Allan Nepomuceno announced.

Gov. Carmencita O. Reyes and Congw. Regina O. Reyes together with Bokal Allan Nepomuceno and Provincial Administrator Eleuterio Raza met with Director General William Hotchkiss and Capt. Jhonny Andrew at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines office, Manila, Aug. 5 and discussed the opening of the airport in a month’s time.

Bokal Allan Nepomuceno, a former 747 pilot explained to CAAP officials the landing ang take-off distance requirements of two known airlines, Cebu Pacific (CEBPAC) and Philippine Airlines (PAL).

In an interview with Nepomuceno, former international pilot, he said “1185 has been concreted in the airport and this is more than enough for the loading and take-off distance requirements of a 72-seater plane. However, there is still 300 meters unpaved runway that is estimated to be completed by March 2015”.

The airport’s operational closure started last year due to the rehabilitation and construction of runway to allow better and bigger planes.

CAAP lifted its operational closure as CAAP officials gave Gov. Reyes the certificate authorizing the opening of the Marinduque Airport in a month’s time, during their meeting on Aug 5.

“While the operational closure was lifted by CAAP, we do not expect the established carrier to bring their planes soon because it would take a while to advertise and to market the opening of the new route”, Nepomuceno said .

Zestair, the last airline that flew in and out of Marinduque, reportedly had sold all their 56- seater planes. CEBPAC and PAL EXPRESS will mostly likely take over the route. “I expect the new fare would range from P1,500-2,000”, he added.

People have been waiting for this turn of event since the tourism industry of the province has been very much affected by the absence of air transport.

The top tourist destination of the province is Bellaroca but is very hard to reach without airline since it is an island within the heart-shaped island of Marinduque.

With the reopening of Marinduque Airport in a month’s time and the new airlines to come in soon, these will give a great boost in tourism business plus healthy airline competition would give lower airfare affordable to more tourists who would love to experience the hospitality of Marinduqueños and the beauty of the center of the Philippines – Marinduque. (MNL/LBR/PIA-4B/Marinduque)