Typhoon-hit airports reopen

Leyte province residents queue for relief goods outside the totally damaged Tacloban airport, where many died after a storm surge spawned by Supertyphoon ‘Yolanda’ inundated the airport and nearby villages. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—All typhoon-affected airports are now in full operation except Tacloban Airport where a ban on private, noncommercial “fixed-wing” airplanes remains in place, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) announced on Tuesday.

CAAP Deputy Director General John Andrews said Tacloban Airport can already accommodate a limited number of commercial airbus flights but these are being limited to give priority to relief operations by the USS George Washington.

The Port of Tacloban, however, resumes full commercial operations on Wednesday under the temporary management of the private International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), which will bring in cargo handling equipment, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

Andrews said Tacloban airspace and ramp control are currently being performed by the CAAP Air Traffic Controllers with the assistance of operating US forces sent there to help in the humanitarian efforts.

Noncommercial fixed-wing aircraft have been banned from Tacloban airport to give priority to those that carry a greater number of people and cargo traffic, he added.

The CAAP official said the airports that are now fully functional are Guiuan and Borongan in Eastern Samar, Calbayog and Catbalogan in Western Samar, Bantayan and Roxas in Cebu, Kalibo and Caticlan in Aklan, Busuanga in Palawan, San Jose in Mindoro, Ormoc in Leyte, Tagbilaran in Bohol, Dumaguete in Negros Oriental and Biliran.

Authorities expect the opening of the Port of Tacloban to speed up the delivery of relief to one of the areas hardest-hit by supertyphoon Yolanda.

According to PPA General Manager Juan C. Sta. Ana, the PPA contracted the expertise of ICTSI to temporarily run the port until the existing cargo handling operator recovers from the damage brought about by the typhoon.”

“We are very grateful that ICTSI agreed to lend not only their expertise but also their cargo handling equipment for only P1 at least for the next six months,” He added.—With a report from Miguel R. Camus

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