SANGLEY AIRPORT DRY RUN. Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade (left), Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla (right) and Cavite City Mayor Bernardo Paredes (center) witness the operational test run of the Cebu Pacific cargo plane flight at Sangley Point Airport in Barangay San Antonio, Cavite City on Oct. 29, 2019. The officials likewise inspected the airport facilities. (Photo courtesy of DOTr)
CAVITE CITY -- A Cebu Pacific cargo plane on Tuesday took its operational dry run flight signaling the readiness of the renovated Sangley Point Airport in Barangay San Antonio here.
The flight is days ahead of the deadline set by President Rodrigo R. Duterte for the renovated military base airport to start general aviation and turboprop cargo operations on November 7.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, along with Cavite Gov. Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla and Cavity City Mayor Bernardo Paredes, personally led the inspection of the Sangley Airport facilities and witnessed from the airport hangar, the operational dry run of the cargo plane’s flight.
Transportation department officials said the Sangley Airport which began the 24/7 reconstruction in June from what was once a former US military airbase, is now 99 percent complete and expects to open by Nov. 7 this year.
Tugade has ordered to fast-track the Sangley Airport infrastructure project to convert the airbase into a “reconfigured” airport serving general aviation and turboprop operations to help decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The transport officials also pointed to completed works including the asphalt overlay and clearing of end of the runway, reblocking of concrete pavement, installation of two pumps including the drainage system, construction of the ramp, and site development with Portland Cement Concrete Pavement.
The infra development also included landscaping and streetlight installations, as well as the construction of access road, installation of close-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance system, counters, weighing conveyor, Meteorological equipment setup, and mobilization of two modern fire trucks.
The painting of parking bay markings for the ramp and the two units of hangar, powerhouse, and cistern tank are already 100 percent completed.
Other completed features include the installations of the flight information system and the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI Lights) while the pre-departure lounge passenger-friendly seats are ready.
According to Paredes, the Point-to-Point (P2P) buses will start traversing Sangley Airport to NAIA Terminal 1 to 4 via Cavitex after the P2P with Saulog Transit having been tapped by DOTr for the airport bus operation.
Paredes added that the P2P bus route passes through Salamanca or M. Gregorio Road in this city, then to nearby Noveleta town through the Centennial Road to Cavitex to ease the traffic flow in the area, once the Sangley Airport officially opens next month.
Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has also positioned a pontoon boat in the pier area and sea ferry is also up in the drawing board to service passengers for a 30- to 45-minute sea travel from the Mall of Asia (MOA) ferry terminal to Sangley Point.
Cavite City Vice Mayor Denver Chua said the planned water transport service to Manila via the Mall of Asia (MOA) ferry terminal in Pasay City is intended as an alternative mode of transport.
Several DOTr officials and other concerned officials joined Tugade during the dry run. (PNA)
