THE Department of Transportation has extended the “rental holiday” for airport concessionaires until end of April this year.
Arthur Tugade, transportation secretary, instructed the Manila International Airport Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to extend the rental holiday until the end of the enhanced community quarantine this month.
Tugade had said such measures are needed to cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the country’s aviation industry and its stakeholders.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) report, the Philippine aviation sector urgently needs support from the government as its survival is at risk, with potential $3.5 billion revenue loss and more than 400,000 job cuts due to the impact of COVID-19.
IATA data showed passenger demand is seen to drop by 36 percent this year, an equivalent to over 21 million passengers, which translates to a $3.5-billion revenue loss and $3.75-billion potential gross domestic product loss.
“Governments need to ensure that airlines have sufficient cash flow to tide them over this period, by providing direct financial support, facilitating loans, loan guarantees, and support for the corporate bond market. Taxes, levies, and airport and aeronautical charges for the industry should also be fully or partially waived,” Conrad Clifford, IATA regional vice president in Asia-Pacific, said in a statement.
“It is critical that these countries still have a viable aviation sector to support the economic recovery, connect manufacturing hubs and support tourism when the COVID-19 crisis is over. They need to act now — and urgently — before it is too late,” added Clifford.
Meanwhile, the CAAP management in Butuan Airport in CARAGA region came together to lead a relief operation at Purok 9 in Barangay Bancasi, Butuan.
The assistance effort was initiated after Christopher Galvez, a Communication Navigation Surveillance System officer, pledged to donate his savings to the airport’s porters who lost their source of livelihood due to the situation.
Inspired by the act of generosity, the rest of the airport’s staff, led by airport manager and CAAP Area 12 manager Evangeline Daba, organized the relief effort.
Through the airport officers and staff’s generosity, more than P50,000 was raised, which was used to buy food packs containing 4 kilos of rice, loaf bread, instant coffee packs, 1 kilo sugar, hotdogs and cooking oil. These were packed by volunteer airport staff who decided to spend their Holy Week in packing and aid-giving.
With their active participation, Butuan Airport was able to give aid to 23 porters and 120 households in Purok 9 where the airport is located. The relief effort is the fourth time since the quarantine when Butuan Airport organized assistance for its porters.
“It is truly moving to see the selflessness and humanitarianism of our airport staff and to see the smiles we have brought to the people within the airport community. With the uncertainty brought by COVID-19, CAAP Butuan will do its best in assisting our staff, such as our porters, and the neediest residents in the vicinity of the airport,” Daba said.
