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CLARK FREEPORT: Locators of Clark Economic Zone on
Wednesday urged President Arroyo to sign an executive order allowing
unlimited freedom rights to foreign air carriers.
In a press briefing, members of
the Clark Investors and Locators Association Inc., (CILAI) said the
immediate implementation of EO 500-B would help not only Clark but
the entire Central Luzon in developing their economy since the
opening of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) will
bring in more foreign tourists and investments.
However, local airlines opposed
the move citing unfair competition, as EO 500-B will not give them
the unrestricted flying rights in different countries.
“The implementation of EO 500-B
will really help boost our economy as this will not only generate
investments in tourism but will create more employment
opportunities,” Freddie So, representing the Angeles City
Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Inc., said.
Mario Lazatin, president of the
Hotel and Restaurant Association of Pampanga and director of Metro
Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., said the enforcement
of EO 500-B is important to allow the entry of investment and
foreign carriers into DMIA and in Subic Bay International Airport
that will bring in more tourists not only coming from our
neighboring countries in Asia but also from other parts of the
world.
During the briefing, the Clark
locators also signed a manifesto calling for the “immediate
passage of EO 500-B, the scheduling and successful conclusion
of air talks with major and new partners in tourism, trade and
overseas employment and the acceptance of proposals by other
countries for liberal air access including pocket open skies in
Clark and in Subic to enable long-term growth and development and
liberalization of the Philippine aviation industry through the
passage of law on developing all gateways outside of Manila through
pocket open skies.”
Among the signatories of the
manifesto are First District of Pampanga Rep. Carmelo Lazatin;
Carmen T. McTavish, chairperson, CREBA Pampanga chapter; Mabalacat,
Pampanga Mayor Marino Morales; Jeannie del Rosario-Ng, president,
CILAI; Frankie Villanueva Jr., president, Association of Business
Chambers in Central Luzon; and So.
The manifesto will be submitted
to Malacañang, the Department of Transportation and Communications,
Congress and in Civil Aeronautics Board.
Rep. Lazatin said the opening of
the skies over the Clark Special Economic Zone is the cornerstone of
Clark’s development.
“More flights into DMIA have
stimulated tourism, gaming and recreational activities, aircraft
maintenance and operations, logistics, ground handling and catering
and has converted Clark into an attractive retirement haven. Most
retirees desire mobility, especially expatriate retirees,” Lazatin
said.
Moreover, he noted that in
opening Clark to foreign carriers, it will also decongest the
problem in the delays on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers
(OFWs) due to lack of ariline seats especially for those bound for
the Middle East.
“For the longest time, our OFWs
have been hamstrung by the severe lack of flights to their places of
work. A number of them even lost their employment because of their
failure to arrive at their job sites within the period stipulated in
their contracts. Its definitely disgraceful that those whom we hail
as our present heroes have to periodically go through an ordeal in
order to return to where they earn a living after a brief reunion
with their families,” he added.
--Darwin G. Amojelar
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