Clark International Airport in Pampanga is set to resume operations tomorrow, Friday as the government readies for the arrival of some 16,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) this month.
“[A]ng gagawin po natin ngayon sa mga susunod na linggo ay idi-decentralize na po natin ang arrivals ng ating mga OFWs. Magsisimula po iyan sa pagtanggap ng Clark International Airport bukas ng mga flights galing sa abroad dala ang ating mga OFWs at bubuksan na rin po ang iba’t ibang mga international gateways natin,” Bases Conversion and Development Authority President Vince Dizon said in a virtual briefing Thursday.
The reopening of the Clark airport was done as the country’s daily Covid-19 testing capacity breached 40,000 daily.
All returning OFWs are required to undergo Covid-19 testing and 14-day quarantine.
AirAsia announced Wednesday the gradual resumption of its Clark-based services. By Friday, AirAsia flight routes Clark-Cebu-Clark and Clark-Cagayan de Oro-Clark will open to passengers with valid travel documents.
The resumption of services will initially be for key domestic routes and will gradually include international destinations by July 1, the Clark airport announced.
Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier said international aviation gateways would be expanded to include Clark, Cebu, Davao, Zamboanga, Bacolod, Iloilo and Bohol, to accommodate more returning OFWs without having them undergo quarantine in Metro Manila. John Ezekiel J. Hirro