UNLIKE her previous visits to Zamboanga del Sur when she would travel by land from the neighboring Ozamiz City or Lanao province, President Gloria Arroyo, this time on her third visit for this year, opted to land in the newly expanded Pagadian City airport.
A few minutes after Arroyo touched down in the airport last Oct. 9; she inaugurated the landing facility assisted by provincial and city officials.
Joining Arroyo in the inauguration are Gov. Aurora Cerilles, Reps. Victor Yu and Antonio Cerilles, Mayor Samuel Co, Transportation and Communications Usec. Anneli Lontoc and Msgr. Crisanto de la Cruz, presidential assistant for Western Mindanao.
The brief ribbon-cutting ceremony signaled the formal opening of the airfield although Co said he still have to secure an official certification from the DOTC to set off air traffic.
Started sometime in 2006 and completed last August, the P309.46-million project now has a widened concrete runway—extended from 1,720 to 2,500 meters—with shoulder and grade correction and a concrete apron.
Co, in an interview last week in his office, said that the city airport’s broad runway can accommodate larger-bodied aircrafts like Airbus 319 and 320 and even C130 military cargo planes.
With only the renovation of the terminal and administration buildings left before being fully completed, the airport is one of the President’s commitments in her State-of-the-Nation Address.
At present, seven airports are being fast-tracked for completion around Mindanao, all totaling P15.51 billion and the city airport is one of the 15 landing facilities classified as a Class 1 principal (major domestic) airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
The President said the city airport will help improve the transport of agricultural products as well as provide access to key tourist destinations in the province.
Likewise, Cerilles, in her statement to the media before Arroyo’s arrival, said the airport opening is a welcome move considering her observation of the uncontrollable influx of passenger departure and arrivals in the neighboring Ozamiz who are mostly coming from Zambosur.
The governor added that the traveling public in Pagadian City and nearby towns in Zamboanga del Sur will be able to save hours of travel time with the reopening of the newly upgraded airport since local travelers will no longer have to travel for several hours to Ozamiz to fly to Cebu and Manila.
After the activity, Arroyo then went to Josefina where she led the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) commemoration of the “Day of the Common Tao.”
Raul Regondola, PCSO chief lottery operations officer for Region 9 and ARMM, explained to this paper that the “Day of the Common Tao” is “a day of celebration where ordinary folks enjoy an extraordinary day with the President.”
The event was patterned after the “Common Man’s Day” that was conceptualized by Arroyo’s father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal.
“It is a celebration of hope, confidence, empowerment and approval by the common folk of the services the government provides to them,” he said.
The PCSO reported that under the President's administration, they had more than tripled their resources for charity funds and health services for indigents and common Filipinos nationwide.
The PCSO activity is also coincided with medical, dental and optical services to beneficiaries by the Office of the President.
From Mahayag, Arroyo led the milestone event for the 15 million bag of rice bought from farmers in Brgy. Lourmah, Mahayag where a ceremonial buying of palay from farmers through DA-NFA took place.
She then presided the forum on climate change and solid waste management, which was held at San Isidro Elementary School.
The provincial office of the Philippine Information Office said that every Friday is “Climate Change Day,” a time to discuss how to mitigate and to adapt to climate change and seek for possible solutions as well as discuss environmental issues at every local level.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA
A few minutes after Arroyo touched down in the airport last Oct. 9; she inaugurated the landing facility assisted by provincial and city officials.
Joining Arroyo in the inauguration are Gov. Aurora Cerilles, Reps. Victor Yu and Antonio Cerilles, Mayor Samuel Co, Transportation and Communications Usec. Anneli Lontoc and Msgr. Crisanto de la Cruz, presidential assistant for Western Mindanao.
The brief ribbon-cutting ceremony signaled the formal opening of the airfield although Co said he still have to secure an official certification from the DOTC to set off air traffic.
Started sometime in 2006 and completed last August, the P309.46-million project now has a widened concrete runway—extended from 1,720 to 2,500 meters—with shoulder and grade correction and a concrete apron.
Co, in an interview last week in his office, said that the city airport’s broad runway can accommodate larger-bodied aircrafts like Airbus 319 and 320 and even C130 military cargo planes.
With only the renovation of the terminal and administration buildings left before being fully completed, the airport is one of the President’s commitments in her State-of-the-Nation Address.
At present, seven airports are being fast-tracked for completion around Mindanao, all totaling P15.51 billion and the city airport is one of the 15 landing facilities classified as a Class 1 principal (major domestic) airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
The President said the city airport will help improve the transport of agricultural products as well as provide access to key tourist destinations in the province.
Likewise, Cerilles, in her statement to the media before Arroyo’s arrival, said the airport opening is a welcome move considering her observation of the uncontrollable influx of passenger departure and arrivals in the neighboring Ozamiz who are mostly coming from Zambosur.
The governor added that the traveling public in Pagadian City and nearby towns in Zamboanga del Sur will be able to save hours of travel time with the reopening of the newly upgraded airport since local travelers will no longer have to travel for several hours to Ozamiz to fly to Cebu and Manila.
After the activity, Arroyo then went to Josefina where she led the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) commemoration of the “Day of the Common Tao.”
Raul Regondola, PCSO chief lottery operations officer for Region 9 and ARMM, explained to this paper that the “Day of the Common Tao” is “a day of celebration where ordinary folks enjoy an extraordinary day with the President.”
The event was patterned after the “Common Man’s Day” that was conceptualized by Arroyo’s father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal.
“It is a celebration of hope, confidence, empowerment and approval by the common folk of the services the government provides to them,” he said.
The PCSO reported that under the President's administration, they had more than tripled their resources for charity funds and health services for indigents and common Filipinos nationwide.
The PCSO activity is also coincided with medical, dental and optical services to beneficiaries by the Office of the President.
From Mahayag, Arroyo led the milestone event for the 15 million bag of rice bought from farmers in Brgy. Lourmah, Mahayag where a ceremonial buying of palay from farmers through DA-NFA took place.
She then presided the forum on climate change and solid waste management, which was held at San Isidro Elementary School.
The provincial office of the Philippine Information Office said that every Friday is “Climate Change Day,” a time to discuss how to mitigate and to adapt to climate change and seek for possible solutions as well as discuss environmental issues at every local level.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA