Passengers scorch in oven-hot Puerto Princesa airport
By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:56:00 04/12/2008
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Transportation and Communication is hard put to cool down the airport terminal in Puerto Princesa City and fast-track its long-awaited expansion as passengers arrive in droves for the summer and the 2008 Palarong Pambansa.
Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn said airline passengers have been complaining of the intense heat at the terminal which has resulted in at least one death already.
Hagedorn said he visited the airport on Saturday and it was much hotter inside than outside, like an “oven.”
The weather bureau’s five-day forecast for Puerto Princesa puts the temperature at an average of 28.9 degrees Celsius.
“The city government is not the one running the airport, it is the national government. But we are concerned because it affects the city’s visitors. We are hosting the Palarong Pambansa for the first time and we do not want the young athletes to suffer. Tourists are saying we have a beautiful city with good facilities except the airport. This could affect tourism in the long term if the problem persists,” Hagedorn said.
On April 4 at 11 a.m., Wilmie Fetisanan, who was about to board an Air Philippines flight with his wife, collapsed while lining up to check in. An airline official rushed him to the provincial hospital where he was resuscitated.
At 10 a.m. on April 9, Dominador Roque had to disembark from a departing Cebu Pacific aircraft after suffering from high blood pressure due to intense heat at the airport.
One hour later, Department of Education Regional Director Veronica Aquino had to be helped out of a departing Philippine Airlines plane for the same reason.
Both passengers caught later flights after their physical conditions improved.
But the worst case happened early this year.
On Jan. 7 at around 11 a.m., Eufracia Calixto went to the airport rest room while waiting to board her Air Philippines flight. She collapsed from the heat and was rushed to the Medical Mission Group Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
The situation at the airport terminal has become more worrisome as 11,000 athletes are starting to pour into Puerto Princesa City for the Palarong Pambansa starting on April 20 at the recently refurbished Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex.
The airport has long been on the priority list for expansion but work started only last year.
The P27-million first stage of expansion was bid out last year and was finished in January this year.
DOTC project designer Art Balderas said that the extension made the existing terminal wider. From a floor area of 16 meters by 81.5 meters, it is now 21 meters by 81.5 meters.
The P97-million second stage will cover the finishing for the extension and the rehabilitation of the existing terminal.
Assistant Transportation Secretary Elmer Soneja said that the expansion work is ongoing but "there is minimum work being done at the moment to avoid disturbing the operations of the existing airport."
He said that the preparation of the terms of reference and bidding documents took time
to put together but bidding has been set for the first week of May.
Puerto Princesa airport manager Edwardo Lansang said that the airport management started following up on the second phase after the first one was finished.
He said DOTC first said it was hard to prepare the funds. Later, he was told that the bill ofmaterials, cost estimate, and such took time to prepare.
Since it is now clear the second stage will not be completed in time for the Palarong Pambansa, Lansang said he has shifted to "Plan B."
He has coordinated with the airlines to issue exit cards to passengers who have checked in so that they can stay outside the terminal where it is cooler while waiting for their flights. A special line for re-entry will be set up for them.
"There is no real solution but for the second stage to be finished and we really hope that the national government bids it out soon. The sooner it is bid out, the earlier it can be finished," he said.
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