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Duterte vows
NAIA woes'w
PRISIDENT Roddgo Duterte vowed to
resolve flight delays and cancellations at
the country's premier gateway, as he con-
ducted a "surprise inspection'l ofthe Ninoy
Aquino Intemational Airport Terminal 2
(NAIA-2) early Monday moming.
Malacaiang said Duterte made the
visit after a lightning alert disrupted
operations at the NAIA for hours on
Sunday evening.
"The Chief Executive discussed how
flight aberrations could be minimized
and what actions could be employed by
,"VswsA2
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Duterte
- lnternational Airyoft Authority
VOWS
govemment, particularly the
the
Department of Transpoft ation,
to solve the problem in the
long term," the Palace said in
a statement.
"He then talked to the pas-
sengers, apologizidg to them on
tieinconvenience caused by the
disruptions. The President vowed . delayed due to bad weath€r on
to come up with a remedywithin
a month," it added.
Duterte, the Palace continued,
"talked to airline and NAIA of-
ficials regarding the cancellations
and delap to know whether there
flight diversions and ifaffected
are
passengers are given .incentives to
ease their inconvenience. "
'A Philippine Airlines (PAL)
manager and a NAIA-Terminal 2
airport duty manager briefed the
President on the flight woes and
explained actions being under-
taken to normalize the situation."
Asked ifDutertds suprise inspec-
tion could lead to the sacking of
airport officials, Palace spokesman
Sahador Panelo said the President
had yet to signlfy his intentions.
"He has not made any an-
nouncement. Maybe in the Cabi-
net meeting tonight he r,lrll qrake
Some announcemen.t or will
discuss the problem there or the
department head may discuss it
glffi LNews TUESDAY June 11, 2019
SU RP RISE V IS I TO R president Rodrieo Duterte
eoes
thlough a security che* at the Ninoy Aquino lnternational Ailport Teminal2 in
Pasay (ity on Monday. ItIALACANANG FHOT0
wrth us," lanelo said during a
port in the wEhours this moming
press briefing.
Accompanying Duterte dur-
ing the NAIA visit were Manila
is an expression and manifesta-
tion of his deep concem for the
welfare of the air-riding Public,"
(MIAA) GenenlManager Ed Mon-
tly4 added.
real, Civil Aviation Authority of
fzRomualdez said the 18th Con-
gress should work on securing
the Philippines (CAAP) Director
adclitional funding for the reha-
General jirn Sydiongco, Leyte Rep.
bilitation and upgrade of all vital
Martin Romualdez and Davao
Philippine airports.
businessman Sammy Uy.
Seven flights bound for uiiita '' ' 'The President saw the chaos at
the Ninoy Aquino lntemational
were divened to the Clark Intema- 'Airport Terminal 2... and he was
tionalAirpofi and 54 flights were
not pleased that Passengers had
to endue congestion due to fliglrt
Sunday, according to the MIAA.
delaln and cancellations, he said.
The agency said a Red Lightning
Romualdez, who is seeking the
Alert indicating that stdkes
-
were likely
House speakership, added: 'Hav-
- was in effect ftom
6:40 p.m. to 9:15 p.m., which
ing seen the disruption mYself,
I appeal to my fellow legislators
meant that ground movements for
to cross partylines and helP the
ramp personnel and flights were
govemment address the Problem
suspended for at least 2.5 hours.
at the NAIA."
"The Manila lnternational Air-
PAL said the lightqing alert
port Authority jointly with the
was mandatory and claimed that
airlines are exerting every effort to
Dutene "aPpeared to be genera\
address the situation so that nor-
satisfied on the actions taken bY
mal flight operations can resume
PAL management to address the
as soon as possible," it added.
concems of affected travelers. "
In a ioini statemen! the Depart-
NAIA-2 is exclusivelY used bY
ment of Transportation, MtAA,
the flag carrier
CMP, Civil Aeronautics Board
Budget airline Cebu Pacific,
and the Office for Transportation
which uses Terminal 3, al3o an-
Security said they "remain com-
nounced that theY were exerting
mitled in ensuting safe, secure
all efforts to make uP for weather
and convenient gateways for disruptions after 41 flights were
Filipinos and guests throughout
cancelled ftom SundaY to Monday
. the coungry. " CATHERINE S.VALENTE'
"The unannounced visit of GLEE JALEA
President Rodrigo Duterte to the AND BENJIE L. VERGARA
Ninoy Aquino lntemational Air- \\ #a:ir loAQ-€,