Davao City: Commercial domestic and international flights inbound and outbound Davao City have been suspended until June 8 for domestic flights and June 22 for international flights, upon request of the Davao City Government to resolve concerns for a seamless resumption of commercial flights to Davao City.
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Davao Manager Engr. Rex Obcena explained during the One Davao on COVID 19 Virtual Presser that the Davao City LGU through Mayor Sara Carpio-Duterte sent a letter to the Department of Transportation (DoTr) seeking for suspension of commercial flights to resolve concerns for a seamless resumption of commercial flights to Davao City. Issues and challenges are yet to be addressed by the LGU, its neighboring LGUs and concerned national agencies.
“One of the issues cited in the letter is that the LTFRB has not resumed the vans and bus routes going outside of Davao Region. This will mean arriving passengers going out of Davao will definitely be stranded in the airport,” Obcena said.
He also mentioned that another issue to be resolved is that LGUs outside of Davao City need time to prepare for their airport pick-up initiative since mass transportation in the city and within Region XI is still limited.
The CAAP official shared that the LGU and concerned offices will resolve these issues from June 1 to June 5.
Obcena admitted that the Davao City LGU has offered proposals to help pave the way for a seamless arrival at the airport.
“One is to limit the flights per week per airline. On our part, we will meet all the domestic carriers to have some consensus building and equitably distribute their flights in the Davao International Airport. We will then propose for a schedule of flights as included in the request of Mayor Sara,” the official said.
DIA is not the only airport that has suspended commercial flights. Obcena said he was informed that other airports in the country also did similar suspension as requested by local government units.
The CAAP also supported one proposal of the Davao LGU to allow for the setting up of DOH accredited laboratory to offer rapid detection test for outbound passengers.
The Davao LGU suggested that RDT negative result shall form part of the documents required for check-in. It further proposed that those having positive RDT result must not be allowed to check-in and rather immediately take to the nearest RT-PCR testing laboratory.
“We support this suggestion of the LGU for seamless movement in the airport. Passengers should be tested at the airport of departure,” Obcena said. (PIA/Frances Mae Macapagat)
