The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has issued an order to hasten the repair of Masbate airport and improve the runways of the Iloilo airport to ensure the safety of passengers in airports and ports following the onslaught of typhoons.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez led an inspection on Saturday and ordered
the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is to set up a makeshift passenger terminal while repairs to the damaged terminal building are ongoing.
Masbate Airport incurred an estimated P10 to P15 million in structural damage after Typhoon Opong struck last week, forcing the suspension of operations. Flights were expected to resume on Monday, September 29. The typhoons spared Iloilo Airport, but it received a 15-day deadline from the DOTr to create an action plan for expansion, materials have also been affected by the typhoon,” Lopez said in a statement on September 28.
He instructed CAAP to initiate an emergency procurement to immediately secure supplies for repairs, as well as standby supplies for future use.
Airport terminal staffers said Opong was the strongest typhoon they had experienced in recent years, prompting the cancellation of flights and airport operations.
The airport management has also committed to cleaning up the debris and other hazards in the passenger terminal building to ensure passenger safety.
Meanwhile, Lopez directed the Iloilo Airport to remove the initial security screening process at the airport to free up more space for passengers.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has a standing directive to enhance passengers’ travel experience by improving the processes and facilities in all airports nationwide.
Lopez assured passengers that a final security check would still be conducted before entering the boarding gates to ensure security at the airport.
The acting transport chief also ordered the airport management to finalize plans for the expansion of the airport’s passenger terminal building and to fast-track the implementation of automated check-in with facial ID recognition to ease passenger congestion, especially during peak hours.
“Our commitment to modernize regional airports will continue. Our passengers deserve the best travel experience, and that is what we will deliver,” he said. he said.
Lopez directed the Iloilo Airport to focus on its runway improvements to accommodate larger aircraft, thereby increasing its passenger capacity for international flights.
CAAP stated that as of September 27, a total of 169 flights were affected by Typhoon Opong, with 165 cancelled and four diverted.
