Some OFWs cheer Sangley Point Airport development plan

Citing expected travel ease and comfort, some Filipinos overseas have expressed optimism that the completion of the Sangley Point Airport once the Sangley Airport Development Project would be good for travelers.

Last February 15, President Rodrigo Duterte inaugurated the Sangley Point Airport as a “general aviation operations” facility.

But the provincial government of Cavite and the consortium of Lucio Tan’s MacroAsia Corp. and China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. (CCCC), have proposed to transform the airport into an international gateway in the second quarter of 2020.

“Mas okay yung may malapit na airport. Less sa transportation and mabilis mapuntahan,” said Jerome Yambao Fornoles, 29, dialysis nurse in Al Mouwasat Hospital, told GMA News Online in an online correspondence last February 22.

“Mahaba yung pila noong umalis ako noong April 29, 2019. Naririnig ko rin sa mga nakapila na palaging ganun,” the first-time OFW from Sta. Rosa, Laguna added.

Azelle Bitavarra, 30, nurse in Doha Care Services, would also like an airport near her hometown Biñan in Laguna.

“Airport location is far from our home address. The first time I used NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) was last year. Six p.m. ang flight ko [pero] 12 p.m. ako umalis sa amin para andun ako three to four hours before my flight. Stressed ako pati mga kasama ko.”

A 30-something information technologist in a multinational company in United Kingdom, who would travel to his home country for more or less 10 times a year, also likes having another airport.

“The Sangley Airport is strategic.  Just convert NAIA into a green space,” shared Deo Caruz in an interview via Messenger in February 19.

“As I travel kasi, pansin ko sa Pinas, wala masyadong green spaces compare to other countries,” he added.

Caruz had also experienced inconveniences in using the NAIA.

“During the Aquino days, I experienced a three-hour flight twice (DGT-MNL, CEB-MNL). Kulang na lang na emergency landing ang situation kasi parang nag-uubos ng gas, paikot-ikot sa ere. I also don’t like the boarding arrangement ng PAL sa NAIA T2. Better emulate the system done by Singapore Airlines,” he said, referring to the Philippine Airlines and the NAIA Terminal 2.

Even Jaress Balicao who recently resigned as a senior document controller in H&H Procurement LLC approves of the plan.

“Sang-ayon kami ng asawa ko sa itinatayong Sangley Airport.  Makakatulong sa amin ito at, higit sa lahat, sa mamamayang Pilipino,” she shared, referring to her husband, Reginald Balicao, 35, 3d-visualizer in Hill International-Abu Dhabi.

“Bigger airport [also] means bigger capacity to accommodate incoming tourists. Hindi ito dagdag-gastos dahil mas maganda ang effect ng airport na ito sa Pilipinas in the long run,” Balicao added during the interview via Messenger in February 22.

Francis Dave Nalos, 37, sales representative in Najm-Majid Al Futtaim in the United Arab Emirates also prefers using the Sangley Point Airport.

“For me, [the] Sangley Airport is ok. My family and friends here like that idea, too,” he shared in an interview via Messenger in February 19.

“It will be easy for everyone and tourism will grow more,” he added, emphasizing his love for the president and his “build, build, build” schemes.

The native from Tondo, Manila pointed out that he has not encountered any inconvenience when he started using the NAIA 10 years ago.

“I don’t encounter any inconveniences while I’m in NAIA airport. Actually our airport is better than the one in China. I’m just not comfortable with the airport taxis. Their rates are too much! I have to transfer to the departure area and grab a taxi there. It only cost me half as much than the taxi stand in the arrival section.” —LBG, GMA News