Tacloban airport starts full operation tomorrow

CEBU, Philippines – Despite the still unfinished rehabilitation of the old runway of the Daniel Romualdez Airport in this city, the facility will finally be fully operational tomorrow, December 22, by allowing big aircrafts to land on the newly completed second runway.

Antonio Alfonso, area manager of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, earlier told reporters that only 1,193 meters of the old 2,100-meter runway have so far been repaired, explaining that bad weather condition over the past several months and the laggard delivery of asphalt have caused the delay in the repair.

The Department of Transportation and Communications failed to meet the timetable for the rehabilitation of the old runway, which was damaged by Yolanda last year, despite earlier assurances by national and local authorities that works will be completed before the visit of PopeFrancis to Leyte on January 17, next year.

President Benigno Aquino III, in his visit to Leyte last October, ordered  DOTC officials to fasttrack the rehabilitation works in the old runway and make DZR airport operational by November this year.

Typhoon Ruby, however, delayed the works, with the contractor encountering logistics snags in  transporting paving materials from Ormoc City to Tacloban.

Bernadetta Valenzuela, head of the city government’s media center, expressed dismay over the explanation of the CAAP official.

She said that a contractor, before entering a particular contract especially in a big project like the airport, should have prepared sources and delivery of materials beforehand, otherwise it should not be allowed to participate in the bidding.

Airport authorities said the airport is now safe for use by big aircrafts and the re-opening of its operations may restore the daily commercial flights to-and-from the city and may even pull down the cost of current fare that had increased earlier due to limited flights.

On the possible price rollback of plane tickets, Valenzuela told The Freeman this is good news for Taclobanons and the people of Eastern Visayas.

“I cannot imagine the expensive airfare. The high price of plane tickets imposed by airline companies made worse the already bad situation of Taclobanons who were victims of typhoon Yolanda,” Valenzuela added.