Cebu Pacific's 50 millionth passenger

Thank you for being part of today’s special occasion, as we mark Cebu Pacific’s 50 Millionth Passenger.    

It is indeed very appropriate that we hold today’s ceremony in this venue — as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is named after the father of our esteemed guest, His Excellency President Noynoy Aquino. 

We would like to thank the President for gracing us with his distinguished presence this evening.

NAIA Terminal 3 has been our home for the last two and a half years. It has allowed Cebu Pacific to effortlessly combine its domestic and international operations under one roof, dramatically improving our guest’s experience. 

The many foreign tourists who take Cebu Pacific can easily transfer between their international and local flights. Foreign guests, and even local tourists who used to be familiar with only key cities such as Cebu and Davao, now move on to Siargao, Coron, Dumaguete and many more smaller cities.

It is also very appropriate that our 50 millionth passenger is a Beijing-bound passenger.

After all, Cebu Pacific’s main focus in the next few years will be in rapidly growing our international presence, particularly in creating better linkages between the fast-growing North Asian markets of Korea, Japan and Greater China, and the various resorts and tourist destinations here in the Philippines. This is especially true since the Philippines is the closest tropical destination to our North Asian neighbors.

We are very proud to say that from an initial daily flight to Incheon (Seoul) in 2009, Cebu Pacific now offers 29 weekly flights between the Philippines and Korea’s two largest cities of Incheon and Busan.

And more strikingly, from a single flight a day to Hong Kong in 2005, Cebu Pacific now offers 80 flights a week between Manila, Clark and Cebu to six destinations in Greater China; namely Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Taipei and now Beijing.   

2010 was an excellent year for Cebu Pacific. We carried over 10.7 million guests, a 16 percent increase over 2009, and we strengthened our position as the Philippines’ largest flag carrier in terms of passengers carried. More importantly, we carried over 2.2 million international guests, a whopping 33 percent increase over 2009 and cemented our position as the fastest growing source of inbound tourists to the Philippines.   

Other outside accolades also came in 2010. Cebu Pacific emerged as the top ASEAN airline in the Changi Airline Awards 2010, and was named third-largest low-cost carrier in Asia by Airline Business Magazine. Cebu Pacific’s Bright Skies for Every Juan, the first climate adaptation program of its kind in Asia, was recognized as WWF-Philippines’ 2010 Partner of the Year.

The world-class operating and financial performance of Cebu Pacific was likewise recognized by the financial markets, culminating in Cebu Pacific’s IPO in October 2010, the largest IPO ever for any low cost carrier in the world.

So Cebu Pacific is indeed looking forward to 2011; and flying our 50 millionth passenger today is just one reason on that list. 

But more than just numbers and statistics, what we at Cebu Pacific are most proud of is the way we have improved the lives of Filipinos. We have created over 4,000 jobs with an annual payroll of over P2 billion, creating 500 jobs in one year alone in the last year. We have revived local tourism and have helped create jobs and opportunities in the many provinces. Finally, we have made it more affordable for our countrymen abroad to visit their families and friends in the Philippines more frequently after the sacrifices they have made in working abroad.

We are happy that our leader, President Noynoy, has identified tourism and infrastructure as the target driver for economic growth in the coming years — with an aim to double Philippine tourists to 6 million by 2016 because we totally agree with the President’s thrust as these are the best ways to create jobs. With the President and the government’s support, we at Cebu Pacific recognize that our job at hand is to be the Philippines’ champions in the country’s tourism agenda, by building a world-class low-cost carrier based in the Philippines, utilizing world-class Filipino creativity and talent.

We have put our capital where our mouth is.Cebu Pacific has already taken in three brand new Airbus A320s in the last 3 months alone, and will take the first of 5 additional A320s over 2011.

By the end of 2011, Cebu Pacific will be operating a fleet of 37 aircraft — with an average age of less than 2.5 years - one of the most modern aircraft fleets in the world. Between 2012 and 2014, Cebu Pacific will take an additional 16 Airbus A320 aircraft.

During President Aquino’s first five years in office, Cebu Pacific would have made a cumulative investment exceeding one billion dollars on additional 24 brand-new Airbus A320 aircraft. These additional aircraft will enable Cebu Pacific to offer even more frequencies, routes and destinations; and even lower fares on more flights. More importantly, this will create another 2,000 jobs by 2014 for Cebu Pacific alone.

We also put renowned Filipino creativity and hospitality to work. The Safety Demo Dance, which has garnered a worldwide 10 million page views, highlights not only Cebu Pacific’s fun culture but also the Philippines’ unique brand of hospitality and charm. Cebu Pacific’s fun culture remains, and we hope to share even more creativity and talent this year. For in 2011, Cebu Pacific will invest over P300M in advertising overseas to market the Philippines internationally. 

Today, we fly over 260 flights daily to 16 international destinations and 33 domestic destinations. We now carry nearly 1 million passengers a month.  

In 2011, Cebu Pacific will fly more than 12 million guests through our four hubs at Manila, Clark, Cebu and Davao. Ten million of our guests will fly through NAIA 3 which has a rated capacity of 13 million guests. We look forward to working with the government in continuing to grow within and improving upon NAIA Terminal 3, the only airport terminal that can accommodate Cebu Pacific’s current scale and inevitable growth.

With solid cooperation between the Philippine government, the transport and tourism sectors and the airline, Cebu Pacific is proud to have reached this point in our short history: the day we fly our 50 millionth passenger.

On behalf of my team members here at Cebu Pacific, I would like to thank you, the President, Cabinet Members, Dignitaries and Guests, once again, for being supportive of our mission of making flying more affordable and reliable to more Filipinos and tourists to the Philippines.

Here’s to the next 50 million passengers within the next four years!