Today
Tuesday, September 1, 1998
Ric Obedencio
TAGBILARAN CITY -- The threatening phase-out of Fokker 50 airplanes and consequently the stoppage of Philippine Airlines (PAL) flights here, local officials are facing a dilemma of lack of funds that may hinder the completion of the Tagbilaran City airport project.
The fear was aired by Romeo Dagodog, officer-in-charge of the Air Transport Office (ATO) here, who added that particularly imperiled will be the concreting of the airport's runway extension by 300 meters (m) by 50 m.
PAL domestic sales agency manager Emma Casenas of this city disclosed that PAL has given the ATO until October 31 only to expedite "minimum airport improvements" for B737 flight operations in lieu of Fokker 50s. This means that after that deadline, there will be no more Fokker flights plying the direct Manila route.
The phase-out threatens once again the various economic activities in Bohol, particularly the booming tourism industry, officials said. Earlier, tourist-related businesses and those that rely heavily on air transport were hurt by the paralyzing PAL personnel strike, which reduced tourist arrivals to the province.
The existing 1,550-meter-long air strip cannot accommodate bigger planes like the B737, said Dagodog, hence an additional 300 m is necessary. PAL management stressed the need for removal of runway obstacles such as high TV antennas and coconut trees and the provision of CAT 6 fire trucks to meet the standard. Right now, the airport has only CAT 3 fire trucks which lack tires, Dagodog said.
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