By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay/PNA
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique — The security group, formed by the provincial government here to look into the inaugural flight of the Philippine Airlines from Antique to Clark, Pampanga, met Monday at the capitol to firm up security preparations.
Cherrylyn Quanico, Acting Antique Provincial Tourism Officer, said there will be dignitaries who would be coming for the PAL inaugural flight. They include among others, Senators Nancy Binay and Loren Legarda and the secretaries of Tourism, Transportation and Communications, Public Works and Highways and Environment.
“The senators will even be here a day before,” she said.
She said the senators will come through the Iloilo Airport because they will have a prior event also in Antique.
“On board the maiden flight will be the PAL officials, other government officials, and the 51 regular passengers,” she said.
The PAL Express is an 86-seater plane that will leave Clark at around 6 a.m. of December 16 and then stay at the Evelio B. Javier Airport for only about 20 minutes before leaving again for Clark.
Margie Gadian, who heads the security group, said only about 50 persons would be allowed to go inside the airport area to welcome the arriving passengers.
“We also need to set up a one-entry, one-exit policy at the gate to avoid traffic,” she said.
There is also a need to have a guest list so that the Aviation Security Group and the police would be able to identify who would be allowed to enter the airport area, she added.
The airport last operated about 10 years ago by the Asian Spirit. It stopped its operation because of the lack of passengers and airport facilities.
PAL, however, is reviving the Antique airport not only to transport passengers but also as a cargo plane carrying local products, like muscovado, rice, vegetables and fish to Manila.
