CALBAYOG CITY- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday led in welcoming the passengers of the PAL Express inaugural Manila-Calbayog flight at the city’s airport.
Among the 48 passengers who were welcomed by the President was eight-year-old Stephanie Spillane who was with her mother Nenita and elder sister Josephine, 10.
“I don’t know who she was but still I was excited,” she said, referring to the frenzy that greeted the arrival of the passengers at the airport located in Barangay Trinidad, seven kms. away from the city proper.
Her 40-year old mother said that she had no idea that they would be welcomed by no less than the President, who was on a smart casual. “I am shaking because of the excitement. She welcomed us” Nenita said.
The family had just arrived in the Philippines from London after 13 years of absence. They are here for a visit at Nenita’s town of San Isidro in Northern Samar.
Nenita and her two daughters had a picture taking with the President who also shook hands with other passengers, which included six foreigners.
Among the passengers of the 76-seater Bombardier Q400 turbo-prop aircraft were six officials of Philippine Airlines led by its president Jaime Bautista, Canadian Ambassador Robert Desjardains and Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
The President, who presided the joint meeting of the Regional Development Council and the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council held at the Tiburcio Tansingco Memorial Institute of Science and Technology, was joined by city and provincial officials led by Calbayog City Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento and Governor Milagrosa Tan.
Joining the President were Secretaries Hermogenes Ebdane of the Department of Transportations and Communications; Arthur Yap of the Department of Agriculture; Gabriel Claudio, presidential adviser for political affairs, and Sergio Apostol, presidential legal adviser and the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development-Eastern Visayas.
The commercial plane landed at the Calbayog Airport around 10:10 in the morning, just few minutes after the arrival of President. Ms. Arroyo arrived at the airport on board the presidential aircraft.
Bautista said that the new Manila-Calbayog route was in support to the President’s “super regions programs” as it would pave the way for the opening of a new route that could result to investments and tourists alike.
“This is (also) in response to the call of the government to improve the facilities of the airports so that we can carry more passengers,” Bautista said.
The PAL official personally asked the President to improve the more than 30-year old Calbayog airport facilities like perimeter concrete fence; asphalt overlay; runway lights and x-ray machine, among others. The President promised to accommodate the request of the PAL management.
Ms. Arroyo herself said that she was happy that the country’s premier airline company is now serving the Samar province. The President said that with the coming in of the PAL, influx of tourists as well as the coming in of more investors is expected to follow.
“(And) the coming in of PAL is also a recognition that peace and order in Samar is (improving),” said the President.
Samar Island, comprising of Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar provinces, has an active insurgency problem in Eastern Visayas.
Calbayog City Mayor, meantime, could not hide his happiness with the new Manila-Calbayog flight, echoing the observations of the President that it would boost the province’s economy as well as its tourism industry.
“Calbayog is really poised for more development with the coming in of PAL,” he said. At present, the Asian Spirit is servicing the Manila-Calbayog twice a week. PAL, meantime, has a four times a week flight schedule.
(By JOEY A. GABIETA, SARWELL Q. MENIANO & MIRIAM GARCIA DESACADA Staff Writers)
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