GenSan Airport reopens for disaster response flights

MANILA – Acting Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Giovanni Lopez announced the reopening of the General Santos Airport on Tuesday for disaster response, with commercial flights to resume in a week.

In a statement, Lopez said the airport will allow military, humanitarian, government, and cargo flights to ensure the smooth implementation of disaster response after Monday’s magnitude 7.8 earthquake.

He also ordered the accelerated repair of the airport and to ensure the structural integrity of all transport hubs in the affected areas.

READ: DPWH surveys damage, to repair infrastructure after deadly Mindanao quake

“I’m just giving po ang CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines), pati ‘yung mga tauhan natin dito, ng one week para maayos nila ‘yung kumbaga ‘yung isang lugar dito para at least maipagpatuloy natin ‘yung commercial operations po dito sa General Santos City (I’m giving CAAP and personnel here one week to fix this place so we can resume commercial operations in General Santos City),” he said.

Meanwhile, all commercial flights to and from General Santos City have been cancelled since Monday.

Lopez led an inspection of the airport on Monday and found damaged ceilings, cracks on the walls, and broken glass from the control tower.

He ordered the inspection of the airport’s structural integrity and to immediately begin rehabilitation for the passenger terminal building and to fix the airport’s electrical system.

READ: DOTr eyes resumption of GenSan Airport operations within a week – Lopez

“Ang utos ng Pangulo sa atin dapat agaran tayong pumunta rito para alamin ang sitwasyon ng mga kababayan natin at mga transport hubs. Pwede natin madaliin pero gusto natin matiyak na safe pa rin lahat ng mga empleyado at mga pasahero (President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered us to immediately visit and monitor the situation of our people and transport hubs. We can rush this but we also want to ensure the safety of all workers and passengers),” he said.

During the inspection, Lopez was accompanied by DOTr Senior Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor, Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Jim Sydiongco, Undersecretary for Planning Teodorico Delfin, CAAP Director General Raul Del Rosario, and Deputy Director General Danjun Lucas. (PNA)

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