Masbate to Re-open June 16

By Ernie Delgado

MASBATE CITY, June 13 (PIA)-- ZEST Air and Air Philippines has temporarily stopped flying to Masbate to give way to rehabilitation of the airport.

The carriers’ booking offices have announced that their daily round-trip flights from Manila would be suspended for more than a month until June 16.

In a separate announcement, Josefina I. Nuñez of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said the airport would temporarily stop aircraft movement and handling of passengers and cargo from April 27 to June 16.

During the period, Algimar Construction and Hi-tone Construction and Development Corp. would undertake repairs of the runway, Nuñez said.

She said the repairs, which were part of the infrastructure projects of the Department of Transportation and Communication, involves asphalt overlaying of portions of the runway and the damaged section of the pavement.

“Our intention is to offer a better air service by improving our facilities and the safety of our flying public,” Nunez said.

The Masbate airport, officially known as Moises R. Espinosa Sr. Airport, had been rendered inoperative a few years ago by slow repairs that lasted until late 2009.

CAAP has designated Masbate a “one-way airport” for all carriers to prevent a repeat of landing accident that occurred in 2008.

This means all takeoffs would be towards the sea while landings should in the opposite direction.

In the accident, an Asian Spirit Airlines flight overshot the runway on Jan. 3, 2008. (MAL/EAD, PIA Masbate)