A SLEEK and spacious terminal now greets travelers flying in and out of Tacloban City following the inauguration of the P20 million-funded passenger terminal expansion project at the Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) airport on Friday, March 16.
Mayor Cristina Romualdez thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for fast tracking the renovation of the passenger terminal building after it was badly hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013, saying "this means so much to Tacloban being the gateway in Eastern Visayas."
"The new passenger terminal airport expansion can bring in more tourists, more visitors and fellow Taclobanon back home to visit their loved ones,” Romualdez said in a statement.
"Thank you Mr. President for always prioritizing the rebuilding of our City. We will be forever be grateful to you!" she added.
"Finally, we have an airport we can be proud of. It’s been years since we clamored for its repair and improvement. Though not 100 percent done, it is now aesthetically appealing. Hoping for the continued improvements and looking forward to its conversion to an international airport," Aaron JP Almadro, a frequent airline commuter, told SunStar.
Gay Gaspay, a resident in the city, also noted the spacious, clean, and upgraded passenger terminal at DZR, which is currently servicing three major airline carriers.
"It's much better than the old one. Most impressive is the comfort room. I hope people will learn to use it with care," she said in an interview.
With the expansion project, the passenger terminal building has now 635 seats while its floor area has increased to 1,100 square meters.
The inauguration of the newly renovated building was attended by Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade together with Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Director General Captain Jim Sydiongco and other government officials in the city and region.
The expansion of the passenger terminal building, accordingly, is part of the Duterte administration's commitment in providing a safe and convenient airport terminals for the flying public. (SunStar Philippines)