Mactan Airport Set To Become Part of BIMP-EAGA Air Route Soon

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Efforts by the Philippines to support the establishment of strong transport connectivity as a pillar for growth in the BIMP-EAGA is seen as gaining ground. This follows the concurrence of the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority recently to become part of the sub-regional route. The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), which serves as the Philippines Coordinating Office for the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines - East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), reported the confirmation of Mactan Airport’s inclusion as one of the drop-off points for EAGA air routes. A statement issued by MinDA, here Friday, cited this latest development in the BIMP-EAGA air linkage as among the items discussed at the four-country BIMP-EAGA Strategic Planning held earlier this week in Manila. Under the proposed Protocol Amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)between the governments of the four countries on expansion of air linkages, Cebu was designated as one point outside of the BIMP-EAGA under the cargo and passenger co-terminalisation, with own stopover rights. The amended MOU is expected to be signed by July this year. This means that airlines planning to open for instance, the Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia-Davao route, can stop by Cebu to drop off passengers and cargo, enroute to Davao as it final destination. On flying back to Kota Kinabalu, the airline can again drop by Cebu to pick-up Malaysian-bound passengers and cargo. Under the proposed agreement, Indonesia has also identified Solo, in Central Java, as its co-terminalisation traffic, right outside of the BIMP-EAGA, while Malaysia has tentatively identified Johor Bahru. "The expansion of air linkages with BIMP-EAGA partner countries is one of the strategies to foster economic activities in Mindanao and Palawan, as the transport of people and goods with our regional neighbors will become much easier," said MinDA Chairman, Luwalhati Antonino. The proposed air link expansion is one of the flexible approaches of the BIMP-EAGA Transport, Infrastructure, ICT Development (TIICTD) Cluster to have more sustainable air services on existing routes and new sub-regional air connections. The implementation of the co-terminalisation scheme is also being pushed as a viable solution for those routes having large geographical areas. The proposed policy operates around the premise that more traffic can be generated on a region to region basis. To further facilitate the expansion of air linkages in the sub-region, the Philippines has committed to spearhead an airline summit this year. It is expected to bring the airlines and other stakeholders under one roof to discuss possible ways to boost operations within the BIMP-EAGA. The BIMP-EAGA is an economic cooperation formally created in 1994 covering the border areas of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines with the goal of spawning increased investments, trade, and tourism within this sub-region of the ASEAN. -- BERNAMA