Saturday, August 16, 2008 Tulabut: The Good Harvest By Noel G. Tulabut My Palm Notes
IT WAS a bold step made five years ago that has paid dividends.
The Asiana flights from Incheon to Clark and vice versa had steadily grown from three to 11 flights a week. The latest addition of three midday flights to and from Seoul (Tues, Thursday, Saturday, arriving at DMIA at 11:40 in the morning and leaving at 1:10 pm) are the obvious harvests from what was sown five years ago.
The midday Clark flights of Asiana are steadily picking up in terms of load factor. They started only last July 22 with almost full capacity for the inbound flights to DMIA while the outbound flights to Seoul are gradually picking up steam, anywhere from 40 to 70 percent load factor on the average.
I have written a piece on Asiana flights in my last column item in this paper. I could not just help but to mention something more especially on the convenience that the flights bring to Balikbayans and residents of Bulacan Province all the way up to the north in Kalinga-Apayao.
The midday flights with onward connections to JFK in New York, Newark Airport in New Jersey and Tom Bradley International Airport in Los Angeles do not only cut the waiting time in Seoul for connecting flights to these cities. From as long as 11 hours (if a passenger takes the evening flight from DMIA), the waiting time at Incheon is now only two hours.
They also save time for those who will travel to the US by no longer going to the congested NAIA. For example, a passenger from Angeles City would no longer need to travel (read: travail) to Metro Manila for about two hours to reach NAIA. By taking the Asiana flights, the most that the passenger need in going to DMIA will only be 30 minutes.
This does not only save time. It also saves money for fuel, toll fees at NLEX and other incidental costs such as food that would cost a passenger in taking a flight to the US via NAIA. This is the kind of comfort and convenience that Asiana and DMIA can offer. If this is not comfortable and convenient enough, then I don't know what is.
The multi-awarded Asiana Airlines, one of South Korea's flag carriers, did a fine job when it chose to mount the Clark flights. People who are responsible for putting up, sustaining and improving on these flights should be commended.
They include CIAC president Chichos Luciano who was very instrumental in what has been Asiana's "missionary flights," Asiana executives led by Tae Yup Kim, regional manager-Philippines, Sang Ju Kim, the former Clark regional manager who completed a four year assignment inside the Freeport.
His replacement, Mr. Jin Hak Jung, I am pretty sure that aside from his good looks will always have something in mind to offer the best services and promos for its passengers and other clients. Mr. Jung was received warmly by about 200 travel agents and operators this past week when Asiana presented a product update.
Also on hand in the success of Asiana and DMIA are past and present CDC and CIAC executives like Manny Angeles, Levy Laus, president Benny Ricafort, EVP Alex Cauguiran, VP Ben Manga, Ritchie Nacpil and a whole lot more.
* * * * *
True to his commitment for the implementation of parallel development program for communities surrounding Clark Freeport, CDC president Benny Ricafort has started the groundwork for a more sensible outreach to the local environs.
This past week, he has met with member municipalities of the Metro Clark Advisory Council co-chaired by Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales. Since his assumption to office, Ricafort has been doing the rounds, consulting business and political leaders for what he calls as "participatory management" of the Freeport.
The new CDC president wants progress to take its course not only inside Clark but also in many communities of Pampanga and Tarlac.
He is also tapping the services of Atty. Resty Capulong. As a former provincial board member in Pampanga and a former member of the CDC Board of Directors, the seasoned lawyer is a welcome figure in CDC. His wisdom, prudence and judiciousness will be valuable to the day-to-day dispositions and decisions that had to be made by Clark officials.
