BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson approved “in principle” the request of airline companies for additional passenger flights from and to Manila and Cebu.
The province is ready, according to Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, provincial administrator, following consultations with airlines.
The additional flights are set to begin on March 1.
According to Diaz, Philippine Airlines (PAL) will have three daily flights to the Bacolod-Silay Airport from Manila, and vice versa, daily.
PAL flight from and to Cebu, meanwhile, are scheduled every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
On the other hand, Cebu Pacific will have three scheduled daily flights to and from Manila while its flights to and from Cebu will be every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Cebu Pacific is also allowed one extra flight for cargo from Manila.
AirAsia Philippines, meanwhile, remains at two flights daily to Manila and vice versa.
Previously, airline companies were limited only to two flights daily for the Manila route and once a week for the Cebu route.
In a related development, Lacson said he prefers that the province remains under Alert Level 2 even as cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are declining.
According to Lacson, Negrenses should remain cautious.
As of Feb. 23, Negros Occidental had 574 active COVID-19 cases.
Total cases since March of 2020 were at 41,118 with 38,623 having recovered and 1,920 who died./PN
