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Sunday, January 8, 2017
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DUMAGUETE City – The Dumaguete-Sibulan airport in Negros Oriental is now permanently extending its hours of operations up to 7 o’clock in the evening to accommodate late-hour or delayed flights, especially departures to and from Manila.
Mark Michael Anthony P. Diamaoden, officer-in-charge of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in Dumaguete City, on Thursday said the permanent hours of operations at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport will now be from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Previously, the airport operated only from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., said Diamaoden, who assumed the post on Dec. 1.
Now, flights to Manila can depart on or before 7 p.m. from Dumaguete, with minimal night-landing equipment such as runway lights to support this, he said.
He said the number of flights at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport has increased to accommodate more local and foreign tourist arrivals as well as cargo.
Because of this, Cebu Pacific has also requested the CAAP to extend the operating hours of the airport to 5 a.m. instead of 6 a.m. especially as there are days when they have early departures, said Diamaoden.
He said that on certain days, there are six departure flights daily to Manila and other days, there are four.
Also, there are regular flights to Cebu, he said.
Because of the extended hours of operations at the airport here, the local CAAP chief has requested the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for funding for a lighting project for the airport’s vehicle parking area.
Diamaoden said there is a need to provide ample lighting at the parking space for the security and safety of airport users.
The CAAP chief also disclosed that DOTr is planning to renovate the existing passenger departure and arrival buildings, which are currently separated, by making it into one bigger structure to accommodate more passengers.
He said there is a need for additional improvements at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport, such as its restrooms, to make it more appealing to the passengers and other users, such as during a presidential visit.
Diamaoden confirmed a rise in the number of passengers to Dumaguete in 2016 although his office is still collating data for the entire year.
The daily departure flights for Cebu Pacific are as follows: four flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; two flights for Manila and one for Cebu on Tuesdays and Thursdays; two flights to Manila and two to Cebu on Saturdays; and three flights for Manila and one for Cebu on Sunday, he said.
Philippine Airlines Express, meanwhile, has two daily departures for Manila, he said.
Meanwhile, assistant secretary Gaspar Ramon Aw Villegas, director for Communications of the Office of the President, has expressed his support to the continuing efforts to improve and upgrade the amenities at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport.
Villegas recently met with Diamaoden and former airport manager Veronica Sayson Chuang for an ocular inspection at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport.
Villegas said the airport recently acquired two brand new Oshkosh Striker fire trucks funded during the tenure of Chuang.
“As a Negrense and a public servant of the Office of the President, I am very happy that the Dumaguete airport will be upgraded. It will benefit the flying public, especially my fellow Negrenses,” Villegas said.
“Together with Mrs. Veronica Sayson Chuang, we will continue to share our opinions and ideas to the new airport manager for the betterment and development of the airport,” he said.
It is about time to “regain the lost glory” of the Dumaguete Airport which was awarded as the best domestic airport in the Philippines for three consecutive years during Chuang’s stint, according to Villegas.
He said he is looking forward to seeing this year some improvements such as a new state-of-the-art passenger terminal, clean comfort rooms, breast feeding stations and new air conditioning systems, among others. (PNA)
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