Finally, first ever flight from Batanes to Kaoshiung

BASCO, Batanes — The long wait is finally over.

A 60-seater Asian Spirit turbo plane made the first-ever flight from this northernmost territory to Kaoshiung in Taiwan last Friday.

En Bi Wu, an enterprising Taiwanese who has been wooing the Ivatans (as the Batanes natives are known) to allow him to develop their island-province as a tourist destination, made the 52-minute chartered flight possible.

Since it was a test flight of sorts, no passengers were accommodated on the outbound flight. On the return trip, however, 12 Taiwanese tourists, mostly friends and associates of Wu, were on board.

The 12 tourists, billeted at the provincial government-run Batanes Resort, had to put off their return to Taiwan last Monday due to typhoon "Glenda."

Their flight home today is still uncertain because of the inclement weather.

Negotiations for a direct Basco-Kaoshiung flight had been undertaken as early as 12 years ago during the incumbency of former Gov. Telesforo Castillejos.

This, however, was never realized because of perceived immigration restrictions, notwithstanding possible protest from the People’s Republic of China, which insists that Taiwan is a mere province of mainland China.

With Wu’s initiative, members of the Tao tribe of Lan Yu in eastern Taiwan, who claim to be related to the Ivatans, may soon find their way here.