Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9) — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has given the go-signal to allow some airports, such as the Clark International Airport and Mactan International Airport, to resume operations amid eased quarantine rules.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said this is to allow faster travel time and decongestion of passenger traffic at the Ninoy Aquino Internatonal Airport (NAIA), while Metro Manila and some other provinces are under the general community quarantine.
“Ito ho ay malaking tulong kung saan yung pag-uwi at pag-eksamen sa manggagawa ay mapapabilis,” Tugade said in a media briefing on Tuesday in Clark, Pampanga with other Cabinet officials.
[Translation: This will be of big help to workers who need to come home and get tested at a faster pace.]
“Bago ho ang linggong ito, concentrated tayo sa NAIA Terminal 1, 2 and 3,” he said. “Ngayong umaga ginamit yung CIAP (Clark International Airport Project). Noong Sabado, binuksan na ang Mactan International Airport at nag-umpisa na.”
[Translation: Before this week, operations at the NAIA Terminals 1, 2 and 3 were concentrated. This morning, CIAP was operational. Last Saturday, Mactan International Airport started operating.]
The Davao International Airport also reopened on Monday for domestic flights, with the implementation of strict safety protocols, Tugade disclosed.
“Ngayong araw na ito (Tuesday), sa aming pakikipag-ugnayan sa LGU ng Davao mag-uumpisa na yung domestic flights,” he said.
[Translation: Today, with our coordination with the Davao LGU, domestic flights would resume.]
The DOTr is also targeting resumption of domestic flights to Zamboanga, General Santos City, and Iloilo City.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has previously allowed domestic flights to resume in areas under GCQ, with the approval of corresponding LGUs.
After two months of suspension, major airline companies announced the resumption of domestic flights starting June 3 after the national government eased quarantine measures in Metro Manila and other areas.
