More airports open; Tacloban gives priority to planes carrying relief goods
A survivor from Tacloban, which was devastated by Typhoon Haiyan gestures while sitting on the ground after disembarking a Philippine Air Force C-130 aircraft at the Villamor Airbase, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013, in Manila, Philippines. AP
MANILA, Philippines — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said on Wednesday it has decided to limit the use of the Tacloban City airport by general aviation aircraft due to space limitations, as the government and local and international relief agencies rush aid to disaster-stricken areas in Eastern Visayas.
CAAP Deputy Director General John Andrews, in a statement, said the agency has decided to prioritize aircraft carrying relief supplies and equipment, military flights and commercial flights using turbo-prop planes.
The Tacloban City airport could not yet accommodate big aircraft and some commercial airlines were using smaller general aviation or pure jet type of aircraft to get passengers to Tacloban.
The restriction advisory, which was contained in a memorandum circular issued by Andrews, was aimed at controlling the arrivals of private aircraft at the terminal which the agency said was disrupting the relief operations.
The agency also announced the reopening of other local airports such as Bantayan in Cebu, Roxas in Capiz, Kalibo and Caticlan in Aklan, Busuanga in Palawan, San Jose in Mindoro, Ormoc in Leyte, Dumaguete in Negros Oriental, Tagbilaran in Bohol, and Guian, Borongan, Biliran and Calbayog in the Samar provinces.
However, Catbalogan in Western Samar remained closed, as of Wednesday, due to the absence of a perimeter fence, CAAP said.
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