ILOILO Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. asked the Department of Transportation to open a direct flight from Iloilo to Guam, United States of America (USA) and vice versa.
Defensor, in a letter dated December 21, 2018, endorsed to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, the request was made by the American Association of Western Visayas (AAWV).
“Their proposal will help boost the tourism industry of the region and develop more economic opportunities for the people. I hope that you will look into this proposal and consider it in your development plans,” Defensor wrote to Tugade.
AAWV president Captain Nelson Ynion has been pushing for the Iloilo-Guam flight. He said a lot of Ilonggos have relatives in the US territory.
He has lobbied with Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Airlines to consider the proposal.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Board of Guimaras has passed a resolution expressing support to the request, claiming that the flight “will increase economic activities in the region” especially that Guimaras has already forged a sisterhood agreement with numerous municipalities in Guam.
Another resolution from the Municipal Council of Buenavista, Guimaras stated that the opening of the direct flight from Iloilo to Guam “will bring convenience to the kababayans visiting famous spots both in Iloilo and Guimaras.”
The US Census Bureau in 2010 said that Filipinos comprise 26.3 percent of the total population of Guam. Of the 159,358 total population in 2010, at least 41,944 are Filipinos.
Filipinos are the second biggest ethnic origin in Guam, second to native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders. (PR)