ILOILO City – Mayor Jerry P. Treñas requested an airline company for the resumption of direct flights from Iloilo to Singapore and Hong Kong and vice versa at the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan town.
He cited the influx of requests from overseas Filipino workers (OFW) and constituents with outbound flights to Singapore and Hong Kong whose travel needs are unmet caused by long queues at the Bureau of Immigration counters and exorbitant travel expenses associated with multiple bookings on connecting flights.
The city mayor noted while tourism continues to be one of the sectors hit hardest by the coronavirus disease pandemic, the economic landscape in this southern city perceives a continuing travel boom to the Asia-Pacific Region.
“It would seemingly show that demand for travel has not dampened consumers looking to make up for time lost to COVID-19 pandemic,” read part of Treñas’ letter addressed to Kirk Warren E. Patricio, the airport performance manager of the Cebu Pacific Iloilo Ground Operations Department.
Treñas further underscored that amid the ongoing health crisis, local OFWs have rebounded strongly and increased the demand for international travel.
International flights were halted in 2020 due to the coronavirus disease pandemic.
Last week, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said the Iloilo provincial government has yet to receive requests from airlines to resume international flights at the Iloilo Airport.
The governor said the airport is ready for the resumption of direct flights from Iloilo to Singapore and Hong Kong and vice versa but there is still no demand for it.
He noted the provincial government is no longer implementing prohibition on the entry of locals or tourists in the province.
The governor added he wants additional number of flights at the Iloilo Airport to help boost the province’s economy.
Currently, three airline companies operating domestic flights at the Iloilo Airport are Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and AirAsia./PN
