Noy aerial convoy makes emergency landing on SCTEX

TARLAC, Philippines – President Aquino’s aerial convoy made an emergency landing at the end of Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway shortly before 9 a.m. yesterday due to heavy rains and poor visibility in the area.

Aquino, who arrived around 10 a.m. with the rest of his party at an evacuation center in Barangay Apulid in Paniqui, relayed the incident to the evacuees and said this was the reason for the delay in his arrival.

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang said the convoy encountered heavy rains, forcing the helicopters to land at the end of SCTEX.

The convoy proceeded by land to the areas to be visited by the President.

The first stop was Paniqui and then Aquino and his officials went to another evacuation center in Barangay Sta. Lucia in Capas.

The President also visited relief centers in Bataan, Bulacan and Pampanga.

“The area at the end of SCTEX which is San Miguel is not occupied by much traffic, so there was no traffic disruption. No one was injured,” Carandang said.

Energy Secretary Rene Almendras and Presidential Security Group commander Col. Ramon Dizon said it was a good decision to land and that everyone was okay except for Carandang, who got drenched in the rain.

He said they were on board two presidential choppers and three from the military.

Philippine Air Force spokesman Col. Ernesto Okol said there was nothing wrong with the aircraft.

“They have designated areas to set down the chopper when there’s marginal weather,” Okol said.

The aerial convoy took off from Manila.

The officials with the President were Almendras, Carandang, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, former Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director general Joel Villanueva and Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara.

In Paniqui, the people cheered as the President arrived. He said he was happy to see them still smiling and that it was unfortunate that seeing them in such condition had become like a ”tradition.”

“Last time I was here there was also flooding,” he said.

Both in Paniqui and Capas, the President assured the residents of continuous government assistance.

He said Isabela would donate not less than 1,000 sacks of rice while Albay would provide a 35-man disaster personnel.

Aquino said private companies like San Miguel Corp. and Yokohama, a tire company, would also give assistance, as will with foreign governments. – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Jaime Laude, Ric Sapnu