Flag carrier Philippine Airlines has announced that it would continue its flight operations to and from Caticlan four times weekly until May 15 as the government enforced the temporary closure of Boracay due to environmental problem in the famous island.
“PAL flights between Manila and Caticlan will operate four times weekly until May 15,” said PAL Corporate Communications Department head and spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villaluna in her Facebook account.
She said that from May 16 until Oct. 26, PAL’s Manila-Caticlan service will be temporarily suspended but will resume when Boracay Island reopens on Oct. 27.
Villaluna also said daily flights to and from Kalibo will continue to operate during the entire Boracay closure period in order to serve the travel needs of residents and visitors in the city as well as the government Boracay rehabilitation team.
The airline management came up with the adjusted flight frequency in support of the government’s decision to temporarily close or limit access to Boracay for urgent major environmental rehabilitation of the island.
PAL has expanded flights to a number of other Philippine tourist and provincial destinations to help ensure the continued growth of domestic tourism.
PAL has deployed additional commercial flights on routes between Manila and Cebu, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa in Palawan and Bacolod.
It also increased flights between Cebu and Busuanga (Coron), Cebu and Siargao as well as between Clark and Busuanga and between Cebu and Clark.
On May 1, PAL also came up with additional flights between Manila and Dumaguete as well as Manila and Cagayan de Oro.
“As we re-direct our passenger market flows to these other key destinations, PAL anticipates that the additional flights will help increase demand and spur economic activity for the benefit of the travel and tourism communities in various regions of the country,” said Villaluna.
PAL president Jaime Bautista said the airline is supporting the government with the program to rehabilitate Boracay.
“Boracay is a national treasure. We fully support the government’s intention to make Boracay fully safe and environmentally friendly. Sustainable development is of critical concern, and we are one with the laudable goal to revert the island to a balanced eco-tourism paradise,” he said.
Bautista added “We seek the understanding of our passengers as your flag carrier and the aviation industry cooperate in this multi-sectoral endeavor. In the long-term, a safe and revitalized Boracay will benefit all stakeholders in the travel and tourism sectors, and the Filipino people as a whole.”
PAL said it would continue to coordinate with the Department of Tourism in an effort to optimize the tourism generating value of any route calibrations and mitigate any adverse impact on both international and domestic tourism flows from the Kalibo and Caticlan cutbacks.
The flag carrier is also coordinating directly with the Civil Aeronautics Board, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the airport authorities in Manila, Clark and Cebu
The government formed a task force to address the environmental problem besetting the world-famous Boracay Island.
The Department of Tourism reported that of the 150 Boracay business establishments recently inspected by the government, only 25 were connected to the sewage line and a number of establishments drained their sewage directly into the sea.
But businessmen and other stakeholders in Boracay appealed to the government to reconsider its decision closing the world famous island, saying the move would only result to massive unemployment among residents and revenue losses.
Boracay, with at least two million visitors yearly, brings in P56-billion in annual revenues.