By MYLA IGLESIAS and JED MACAPAGAL
Domestic air operations remain limited in nine local airports hit hard by Typhoon Odette, according to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
Two airports, Surigao and Siargao will be closed for commercial operation until end of February 2022 but will operate for government/military, emergency, cargo, and humanitarian flights.
CAAP said as of 11 a.m. yesterday, 14 of 24 airports affected by recent typhoon that hit Visayas in Mindanao, were operational, 8 airports sustained damage but are operational and two airports are still closed.
“Many of the airports that were affected by the typhoon are still experiencing commercial power outage and telecommunication signal loss,” CAAP said.
Airports that sustained damage but resumed limited operations include San Vicente, Antique, Bacolod-Silay, Iloilo International, Dumaguete, Maasin Airport and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA).
MCIA resumed domestic flights on December 17 while international operations will resume starting today, December 21, with arrivals capped at 600 per day, according to CAAP notice to airmen.
Two airports, Surigao and Siargao, remained closed except for government/military, emergency, cargo, and humanitarian flights. Both airports will be closed for commercial operation until end of February 2022, according to CAAP.
Cebu Pacific Inc. yesterday said over 25,000 passengers were affected by cancelled flights due to typhoon Odette. Seventy percent of the passengers opted to rebook or refund.
As of 3 p.m. yesterday, CEB has cancelled additional 58 domestic flights out of MCIA for December 20 to December 24, 2021 given the airport operational limitations in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette.
Other flights are still scheduled to operate. However, passengers who wish to voluntarily postpone their flights from December 20 to 26 may avail of the flexible options being offered by Cebu Pacific, according the airline.
The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) DRRM Operations Center said that as of 11 a.m. yesterday, total damage caused by typhoon Odette to agriculture has reached P333.4 million, or the equivalent to 19,640 metric tons (MT) of crops tended by 12,750 farmers in 23,198 hectares (ha) of land.
The DA said t its current monitoring only captured data from Calabarzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Central Mindanao, Davao and Caraga.
Bulk of Odette’s currently recorded damage was from rice equivalent to P257.2 million, followed by corn at P69 million, high value crops at P4.6 million and fisheries at P2.5 million.
DA said it has P1.35 billion assistance to farmers and fishers affected in the form of quick response funds, seeds, insurance, fingerlings, animal drugs and biologics.
Meanwhile, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), said that as of 11 AM yesterday, it successfully energized the provinces of Samar, Cebu, Leyte, Agusan del Norte and Agusan Del Sur.
NGCP said assessment of the extent of damage in other parts of Leyte, Negros, and Bohol is ongoing.
NGCP has also fully restored transmission services to the provinces of Capiz, Antique, Iloilo, Biliran, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Davao Oriental.
NGCP has deployed a total of 65 line gangs or 520 personnel working 24/7 when weather and safety conditions permits, to expedite post-Typhoon Odette restoration works.
