No government order to cancel flights during APEC meet, officials say

MANILA, Philippines - The government will not order the cancellation of flights when the country hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leader’s Summit from Nov. 17 to 20, officials told a recent congressional hearing.

During the hearing of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development on the preparations for the APEC, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo – who chairs the panel – noted some private airlines have cancelled their flights for the duration of the summit.

However, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority officer-in-charge Emerson Carlos said there would be no cancellation of flights during the country’s hosting of the APEC.

“Will there be discontinuance of some flights? It will have tremendous impact on the economy,” Castelo said.

“Maybe, some airline companies are anticipating traffic, that’s why they cancelled flights,” Carlos replied.

In a text message, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the cancellation of flights during the summit period would be the call of airlines.

“We’ll just issue a notice to airmen,” Abaya said, referring to a bulletin alerting pilots of potential hazards or circumstances affecting their flight.

Carlos estimated there would be 7,000 official delegates from 21 countries – not yet counting journalists and tourists – that are arriving for the summit that which would held at the Philippine International Convention Center.

He said this early, measures are being implemented to decongest roads to be used by APEC delegates particularly thoroughfares leading to their hotels. These include regular towing of illegally-parked vehicles.

Carlos said there would be designated APEC lanes, including Roxas Boulevard, EDSA, and the roads around the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), where only accredited vehicles would be allowed to pass.

“We want the APEC delegates to move freely around Manila, from their hotels to the PICC,” Carlos said, adding 2,500 MMDA personnel will be on duty for the summit.

“We would like to make sure that the delegates are safe and secure. This is also being done in other countries. It’s a security concern more than anything else,” he said.

A truck ban would be enforced from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for those going to the southern part of the metropolis.

Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, leader of the independent bloc, warned the worsening congestion at the NAIA greatly increases the risk of accidents, especially with the coming APEC summit.

He said aircraft are often lately asked to fly overtime because of air traffic congestion.

Romualdez cited his experience on Monday night when his flight from Bacolod City was ordered by air traffic controllers to fly near the Sierra Madre mountain range as typhoon Lando was pummeling Luzon.