The City Government of Puerto Princesa is standing by its decision requesting the Department of Transportation (DOTr) not to allow commercial flights at Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPIA) until past June 30 despite the opposing views expressed by Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez.
Atty. Arnel Pedrosa, the City Administrator and Legal Counsel told Palawan Daily News (PDN) Saturday this is not merely the stand of the City Council through a resolution, but of Mayor Lucilo Bayron as well, to prevent travelers from coming to the city only for leisure purposes.
“We respect naman the opinion of the governor. We respect his opinion as the father of the province, ay naiintindihan natin iyong kaniyang damdamin at saloobin. Iyon nga lang, gusto ko rin ipaalam o ipaabot na hindi naman natin tinututulan ‘yong pagpapauwi ng mga Palaweño LSIs, returning overseas Filipinos na Palaweños at mga taga-ibang munisipyo. Pinapayagan natin ang mga sweeper flights, hindi natin ‘yon tinututulan. Ang tinututulan lang natin ay ang commercial flights na magdadala ng mga pasahero dito for leisure,” said Pedrosa.
“Iyon din ang posisyon ni mayor. Actually nga baka ‘pag-nagdagdag pa ng mga positive cases ito hanggang katapusan ng June baka manghingi pa kami ulit ng extension na huwag na muna mag-padala ng order na nagre-resume na ‘yong commercial flights sa lungsod ng Puerto Princesa,” he added.
Atty. Pedrosa reiterated that temporarily suspending the commercial flights will not affect the ongoing transportation of both the province and city’s locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs).
Pedrosa stated the city is not yet ready as of the moment to cater commercial flights that will bring visiting individuals who are not from Palawan.
Palawan Governor’s take on the matter
Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez told Palawan Daily News (PDN) Saturday in a separate interview the city government must not express its being unprepared, for the schedule of commercial flights’ resumption after June 10 was already determined by the national government.
“Mas marami silang pera sa amin. Hindi lang sila gaanong preparado. Inannounce na ito about 30 days ago na in June 10, ‘yan na ang resumption of commercial flights. Sana ‘yong from May gumawa na sila ng contact tracing, isolation, lahat ng preparasyon ginawa na nila. Huwag sasabihin nilang hindi pa kami ready. That only goes to show that they are not doing their job. Please don’t use the word ‘we are not ready’ dahil marami silang pera. Anong ginawa nila sa pera nila? How will Puerto Princesa look to the national government,” said Alvarez.
Governor Alvarez said the city government must not fear that tourists will flock in Puerto Princesa through these commercial flights, for the people are still not going to visit places during this COVID-19 crisis.
Alvarez said it is important to resume commercial flights to bring home the over 30,000 individuals in Manila.
“Wala muna ‘yan. By virtue of exigency ng COVID, wala pa tayong mga turista rito. So ang pauuwiin natin dito taga-Palawan, tapos mga ROF, returning overseas Filipinos, OFW, iyan ang unahin natin, ‘yan ang napakarami, more than 30,000 na in Manila eh. Wala pa ‘yang turista, do not expect tourists, never, wala pa ‘yan. Hindi sa ayaw natin, but sila mismo ayaw din nila mag-travel, wala pa ‘yan,” he said.
“By themselves alone they will not come because wala pa silang kasiguruhan. But you know, travel is a constitutional right. Kapag dumating sila dito, bisita ng city, bahala ang city doon; bisita ng probinsya, bahala ang probinsya, ganoon lang. Hindi naman kami nag-aaway ng city, nothing to quarrel about. Wala kami quarrel diyan ng city. Importante lang i-handle nila ‘yong kanilang city visitors, city ROFs, at saka ‘yong kanilang mga LSIs. Pag-tulungan na lang natin ‘yan na sila ‘yong mga taga-city nila i-accommodate nila, ayusin nila, social distancing, kwarantina, hugas ng kamay, lahat ng protocols, pero huwag kayo matakot sa COVID,” he added.
He also mentioned the public servants on the national government level who recovered from COVID-19, saying there is a huge probability of getting well from the disease outside the context of co-morbidity.
Alvarez also mentioned that the entire province has a total population of around 1,500,000 individuals, of which more or less 250,000 are from Puerto Princesa.
He said the province has a lot more people to cater making it improper for the city government to independently decide on the matter.
“Kung ang city ayaw nila, hindi naman nila puwedeng solohin na ayaw nila. Kung hindi pa sila handa wala pa silang mga test kits wala pa sila lahat, eh kami handa na kami. Ang probinsya ang pinakamarami. Ayaw ko lang sabihin nila [na] ‘Ayaw namin, sarahan na namin ‘yang airport’,” said Alvarez.
Governor Alvarez further stated businessmen who have investments in the province, most especially in communication, construction, tourism establishments, and even in government service, also need to come back through commercial flights.
However, Alvarez reiterated that there is neither conflict, nor quarrel between the city government and provincial government.
He said since commercial flights are considered “lifeblood of the economy”, it is necessary that the local government units (LGUs) of both the city and province just work hand in hand.
“Wala kaming misunderstanding, ang ayaw ko lang huwag nilang sabihin na ayaw nila ng flights. Walang misunderstanding. Kung ayaw nila magpapasok sa Puerto Princesa okay lang sa akin ‘yon walang problema. Commercial flights ang kailangan natin, that is the lifeblood of the economy. Now kung may darating diyan na mga turista, eh ‘di ipasalubong doon sa mga tourist establishment na nag-invite sa kanila ‘diba, sila ang responsable. Now pagkatapos saan ba pupunta ‘yan sa Puerto Princesa, [sa] Underground [River]. I-rapid test ng taga-city. Kung sasabihin nilang papunta kami ng San Vicente o ng El Nido i-rapid test namin doon pa lang sa airport,” said Alvarez.
He also said that the laboratory for the RT-PCR test in Ospital ng Palawan (ONP) will be of great help during the resumption of commercial flights.
Alvarez added he already sent a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) supporting the national government’s initial schedule to resume commercial flights after June 10.