Borongan airport now open to air traffic

Boronga Airport

MANILA — The airport in Borongan City, Eastern Samar was opened to traffic Monday, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said.

Borongan City was among areas hit badly by typhoon “Ruby”.

Catapang said one of the Air Force’s Lockheed C-130 cargo planes, which was loaded with relief goods and other materials, safely landed in the facility at 10: 30 a.m.

Upon landing, Air Force personnel immediately set up an air controller unit which will allow planes, both civilian and military, to make safe landings and take-off.

The plane took off from Puerto Princesa, Palawan around 9 a.m.

Another C-130 aircraft, this time coming from Zamboanga City, landed at Cebu City at almost the same time.

Catapang said the C-130 aircraft in Cebu is now being loaded with relief items and materials and will take off for Borongan City to expedite government relief efforts there.

The AFP chief also said that the first C-130 plane in Borongan City, after loading its relief cargo, will be flown back to Cebu City where it will be reloaded again with needed emergency supplies and flown again to Borongan City.

As of this posting, Tacloban, Calbayog and Catarman airports were opened to civilian and military air traffic.

Catapang also said that all road networks in Samar are now passable to traffic, albeit some roads are operating at one-lane capacity due to ongoing clearing operations.