DAVAO CITY, Philippines—The City Tourism office here welcomed the move of a congressional committee to approve a bill that would establish the Davao International Airport Authority.
Regina Rosa Tecson, department head of City Tourism Office said DIAA would spur air travel in the city and at the same time would give officials a smooth “management and the supervision” of the airport.
“As you can see in our airport, it looks like a department store so if there will be airport authorities then they can decide what’s best for our airport,” she said.
The Lower House approved House Bill 2002 authored by Deputy Speaker and Davao City Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano which seeks the creation of DIAA.
Garcia-Albano said DIAA would support the economic development of Davao City and the Davao region, a claim taken by the City Tourism as an effort that would bring more tourists and foreign investors in the city.
Tecson noted that tourists who visited Davao City for “Kadayawan” Festival did not give a positive feedback on the airport.
“When they arrived at the airport they feel uncomfortable despite the efforts that we exerted we couldn’t address all the issues at the airport,” she said.
In addition, the Davao International Airport has limited foreign flights which, Tecson said, limits the number of potential foreign tourists and investor. Thus, DIA is seen to transport more tourists in the city as foreign airlines could have a direct flight here Duterte’s hometown.
“We can now invite more foreign airlines to have a direct flight here in Davao. The connectivity of flights is one of the problems here why they are only limited foreign tourists or investors who are visiting Davao,” she said.
The Davao International Airport is being managed by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines which Tecson admitted that they “don’t have control over it.”
“At least, if we have airport authority already then we will be the one to plan what should be done to the airport to make it look pleasant to the foreign tourist and investors,” Tecson said. (davaotoday.com)
