Ozamiz-Cebu route will open again this June with two domestic airlines simultaneously vying for passengers and local tourists daily, information from the City Mayor’s Office said.
A press release dated March 26 and forwarded to this paper said that Air Philippines will open their daily Ozamiz-Cebu route and vice-versa in addition to their already thriving Ozamiz-Manila everyday.
Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog’s chief of staff Miguel Ochate said in the news release that based on the information from the Air Philippines head office in Manila, the new domestic route will start at 5:30 in the morning from Cebu and 6:30 for the Ozamiz-Cebu flight.
Air Philippines load officer Dante Tomatao said said in a telephone conversation he will neither confirm nor deny the said information relayed by the mayor’s office but said that it would most likely happen in the near future.
However, Air Transportation Officer Napoleon Bael, in an interview aired over DxSY-AM last Wednesday, confirmed that an opening in the domestic flight is in the offing.
For the record, Air Philippines started servicing the Manila-Ozamiz route last July 18 in the newly-renovated Benigno Aquino Jr. Airport in Gango with President Gloria Arroyo gracing its opening.
The airport is one of the fast-tracked projects for completion with an allocation of P43-million made possible by the efforts of Rep. Herminia Ramiro and Parojinog.
Also, in a huddle with Ramiro last February at her residence, she told PANGUIL BAY MONITOR that Cebu Pacific has shown intentions to open their own Ozamiz-Cebu route using their new Boeing 737 planes.
It can be recalled that in May 1994, then PAL vice-president for communications Rolando Estabillo hinted the closure of their Ozamiz-Cebu flight because of losses traced to their use of small “Sunriser” and Fokker aircrafts.
PAL needs airbus like DC-10 and Boeing 737 to offset their losses but the runway of the airport is undersized and insufficient. The Ozamiz airport is said to be the only airport in Western Mindanao that needs to be upgraded to accommodate bigger planes.
Then Rep. Hilarion Ramiro announced he has secured P5 million for the improvement of the airport and that another P4 million was appropriated by then President Fidel Ramos to purchase land for the expansion of its runway from 1,250 to 1,850 meters.
Ramiro even boasted he would construct a longer, 2,100-meter runway.
Then Gov. Benito Chiongbian proposed the construction of an all-weather airport in nearby Clarin town. In a resolution, the city council staved off the idea as it directly affects the economy of the city.
Chiongbian’s plan was then criticized for being self-serving as his brother William owned the William Lines that monopolized the Ozamiz-Cebu route.
In November 2005, Naomi Ceniza, owner of Naomi’s Botanical Gardens, said she was contemplating selling her prized 13-hectare farm if the Ozamiz airport remains closed.
Also during that same year, Iranian investor Foad Akhavan, who visited Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park (MOAP) in Tigdok, Sinacaban, said that “any investment in the province would be insecurity to the investor if the airport in Ozamiz remains permanently closed.”
Saying she is also worried, Rep. Herminia Ramiro then expressed apprehension the re-opening of the airport will not push through or not finished in time for the 250th anniversary of the Cotta Shrine because of funding problems.
She believed there have been moves or maneuvers block the improvements of the airport because its operation will affect Dipolog that according to her “will likely lose their passenger traffic once the Ozamiz airport operates again.”
Now, Ramiro said she is grateful for the opening of the airport. “Nanobra na ang kwarta nato alang sa airport. Sunod natong himuon ang pag-acquire ug mga yuta alang sa parkingan ug mga kan-anan gawas sa airport,” she said.
“Pila ka tuig ta gaantos ani apan nakita ra gyod nato ang improvement sa airport, dili na ta mabiyaan sa ubang airport,” she added. MICHAEL MEDINA