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Monday, March 19, 2007
Traders protest policies on Pampanga air services
By Reynaldo G. Navales
CLARK ECOZONE -- An association of Clark locators and four other business groups called on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recently to repeal an order limiting the expansion of air services in the Pampanga airport.
The Clark Investors and Locators Association (Cila) and the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce, Metro Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Angeles Chinese-Filipino Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and San Fernando Chinese-Filipino Chamber of Commerce and Industry signed a resolution dated March 15, 2007 asking for the rescission of Executive Order 500-A.
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EO 500-A amended Executive Order 500, which laid the groundwork for the expansion of air services in the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport by facilitating access of various airlines to the facility.
Issued by Malacañang in August this year, EO 500-A provides that only official foreign carries are entitled to liberal policies at the DMIA in Angeles City.
Cila and the four business groups actively "support the current initiative for the issuance of an alternative executive order dubbed as EO 500-B."
Calls to have EO 500-A rescinded surfaced anew after the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) downgraded from six to three months the Foreign Air Carrier Permit (FACP) of Singapore-based Tiger Airways, to the consternation of businessmen, local executives and non-government organizations (NGOs). The three months would end this June.
Cila dubbed CAB's policies as "suppressive" and said these severely affect Arroyo's plan to develop DMIA.
"More than half of the passengers that came last year or roughly 70 percent were brought in by Tiger Airways," said Cila president Frankie Villanueva.
"I cannot believe that the CAB would now try to kill the goose that lays the golden egg just to protect the interest of a party that refuses to serve DMIA," he further said.
Villanueva said he fears that Tiger Airways would pull out form Clark because of this development.
The Singapore-based Tiger Airways had brought in most of the inbound and outbound international passengers at DMIA, which last year posted over 480,000 international and domestic passengers, a 110-percent increase from 2005's 232,313 passengers.
Earlier, over 300 foreign and local investors at the Clark Freeport Zone lashed out at CAB for foiling Arroyo's grand vision to develop DMIA as a world-class logistics hub and passenger terminal.
The stakeholders urged the President to direct the CAB to grant Tiger Airways a six-month FACP or longer to support growth momentum at DMIA.
The local governments of Angeles City and nearby Mabalacat town agreed with Clark investors, saying the development of the Subic-Clark corridor as a "competitive international logistics center" will be President Arroyo's legacy not only to her cabalens but to the entire country. (Sun.Star Pampanga)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (March 19, 2007 issue)
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