ORMOC CITY – The reopening of the Ormoc City Airport will open door for the development the tourism industry of this city and its neighboring areas which are part of the so-called Northwest Leyte Tourism Corridor.
President Rodrigo Duterte formally opened the Ormoc City Airport on July 5 and joined by Department of Transportation(DoTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, Presidential Assistant to the Visayas Michael Diño, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines(CAAP) Director General Captain Jim Sydiongco, Leyte Rep.Lucy Torres Gomez(4th district),and Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez.
Karina Rosa Tiopes, regional director of the Department of Tourism (DOT), said that with the opening of the city airport, tourists need not used the Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport in Tacloban, about two hours away from this city.
Thus, she said, areas within the Northwest Leyte Tourism Corridor would now be accessible to tourists, she said.
“Access and connectivity is really crucial for Philippine tourism because we are an archipelago,” Tiopes said.
“A new airport that can service wider aircraft is a positive development for us because this means that we now develop a new connectivity with a new gateway in the other side of Leyte that will service the tourism side in part of Northwest Leyte,” the tourism regional director added.
Most of the popular tourist destinations Leyte are located on its northwestern.
Among these are the Lake Danao, Tongonan Hot Spring and Alto Peak, Kalanggaman Island, and Cuatro Islas.
Except for a flying school, the airport has yet to accommodate commercial airline since December, 2018 due to low traffic.
The Ormoc City Airport sustained major damages due to the devastation of super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in 2013 and a major earthquake four years later.
The national government through the DOTr allocated P34-million for the rehabilitation of the terminal building and another budget worth P82-million was allocated for asphalt overlay of runway and another P55-million for runway widening project which is expected to be completed by 2020.
Sec. Tugade said that target of their agency and CAAP to make the airport a night-rated before the end of President Duterte’s term.
A night-rated airport is capable of launching and receiving flights at night, allowing the facility to accommodate flights even nighttime, resulting for more travel option.
“The promise of our aviation sector is before our President’s term ends, this airport will be night-rated,” Tugade said.
Rep. Gomez welcomes this announcement of Sec. Tugade saying that she is very happy for the national government action of her constant request to rehabilitate the city airport and to make the facility capable of night flights.
“That is why Sec. Tugade is one of our favorite secretaries because he is always sincere in helping and he always has good news with him,” Rep. Gomez said.
Gomez added that with the reopening of the city airport, their next step is to invite airline companies to operate in Ormoc.
“It is always part of the plan. It will energize the economy and people who are from the city and its neighboring areas will no longer have to travel to Tacloban because we have an operational airport in Ormoc,” the lady solon said. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Also at the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital

ORMOC CITY-Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go led in the launching of Malasakit Center at the Ormoc District Hospital, making it the country’s 37th such facility.
The neophyte senator led the opening of the center on July 5, was joined by Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, Michael Diño and Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto.
“I know how hard it is to get sick nowadays. That is why improving our medical services throughout the country is my priority,” Go said during the occasion.
Early on that same day, Sen.Go also led in the opening of a Malasakit Center at the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital in Borongan City and was welcome by provincial officials led by Governor Ben Evardone and Rep. Maria Fe Abunda.
Malasakit Center is a program under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte to establish one-stop shops in government-run hospitals to hasten the delivery of free medical services to indigent patients.
Under the program, poor patients are assisted in availing medical services and financial assistance provided by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Philippine Amusement and Games Corporation (PAGCOR), Department of Health (DoH), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Patients can avail P50,0000 maximum of assistance but will depend on the assessment of the social workers.
All Filipinos are qualified to avail medical assistance from Malasakit Center.
Patients are to use Malasakit Unified Form inside the center for all agencies to avoid redundancy of filling up the same information all over again.
The only qualification is that you are a Filipino. You do not need to present anything else.
Vice Gov.Loreto said that this project is very helpful especially to those in need.
“I just hope that all district hospitals in Leyte, such as the Baybay District hospital, Hilongos District Hospital and the Leyte Provincial hospital, will have their Malasakit Centers, too” Loreto said.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY-In line with the annual observance of the National Disaster Resilience Month, Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez and newly-assumed Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 8 Regional Director Marie Angela Gopalan led the formal opening of the Response Cluster Exhibit at the City Hall grounds on Friday, July 5.
Gopalan said that the exhibit showcases the commitment to ensure resiliency amidst disaster by displaying the latest response equipment and capabilities.
“We are armed with the necessary types of equipment in facing these challenges. But, more than that it is the people who are ready and consciously doing what they can to be able to help respond to (any) crisis,” she added.
In addition, Mayor Romualdez also shared how cooperation is crucial in terms of addressing any unfortunate event.
“Everyone has a particular role to address the issues. It is important that all the agencies understand their particular role so we can prevent now any incident from becoming an emergency,” said the city Mayor.
Meanwhile, the exhibit was participated by the 9 member-agencies of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Present during the event were representatives of the Bureau of Fire Protection Tacloban, ACCESS 5 (Emergency Telecommunication Cluster), PNP, the Philippine Coast Guard, DPWH, DepEd City Division, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Tacloban City Rescue Unit and Assistant Regional Director of the Office of Civil Defense Rey Gozon.
This year’s celebration carries the theme: “Kahandaan sa Sakuna’t Peligro Para Sa Tunay na Pagbabago.” – CBM/TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)