TACLOBAN CITY-A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed between the city government of Borongan and the Philippine Airline (PAL) on Nov.29 to officially start for the airline company its operations in Eastern Samar province.
The opening of its operations in Borongan means that the national flag carrier is now operating in the entire Samar Island.
At present, PAL also offers air flights in Samar province through its Calbayog Airport and Northern Samar through Catarman Airport.
PAL president and chief operations officer Capt. Stanley Ng, who PAL executives in the evet, said that with their operations in Eastern Samar, which is to start on December 19, they are one with the people and its officials to ‘connect’ the province to the rest of the country and the world.
He also said they are optimistic that with the new flight, the airline company could help the province to attract more tourists and even investors.
Starting on Dec. 19, PAL will operate its Borongan and Cebu flights every Monday and Friday covering for an hour flight.
“By confirming our joint effort, we support the future of Borongan City and the province of Eastern Samar as a gateway for tourism,” Ng said in his speech during the signing of the MOA held in Manila.
“PAL family shares the excitement of the people of Eastern Samar over the new PAL service between Cebu and Borongan City. We will build new connections to make life better for the people of Eastern Samar,” he added.
Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda expressed his gratitude to the PAL company for agreeing to have flight in their province.
Agda joined the call of Rep. Maria Fe Abunda of the provinces lone district for the locals to patronize the operations of PAL in their airport to ensure its continued operations.
At present, people from the province have to travel at least five hours to Tacloban City for their air flights.
Governor Ben Evardone described the signing of the MOA as ‘both historic and revolutionary.’
“This is a leap forward in our move to promote Eastern Samar as a haven of tourism and investment,” he said.
For his part, House minority leader Rep. Marcelino Libanan of the 4Ps party-list, promised to provide more funds to further improve the Borongan Airport.
Libanan, who also served as congressman of the lone district of the province, mentioned that among other things, he wants to improve the airport’s terminal building likening its present condition as classroom building; lengthen its current 1.3 kms runway and provide perimeter fence. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
