The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit is happening next week, which basically means a week-long holiday for Metro Manila, what with the several international delegates coming to Manila, including US President Barack Obama.
But before anyone can scream “YAAAY VACATION!!” and book tickets to the next out-of-town trip, THOUSANDS of flights will be cancelled for the APEC, for various security and traffic reasons. The cancellation of flights means leaving thousands of tourists, employees and businessmen stuck wherever they are, disrupting the flow of work and business for a WEEK. Think about that long and hard enough and what that can do to the economy.
Former senator and presidential candidate Dick Gordon just proposed a solution to not only fix the economic rut the APEC situation is going to bring, but as well as the problem of congestion in Metro Manila, and it seems to be a hit with netizens at over 2,000 shares on his Facebook page alone! In fact, some netizens love it so much that they’re claiming Dick is “the best President we never had”, but we’ll leave that to you to decide about that.
Read on below:
Over 1300 flights in Manila Airport will be cancelled during Apec. Many many thousands of our people and tourists will be terribly inconvenienced. Work and Business will be disrupted resulting in many millions lost in the economy.Why not use Clark and Subic airports now and for always. Fedex had regular Night and day flights of 747s and airbuse cargo planes from Subic for several years. Clark is only one and a half hour away and Subic is two hours away from Manila. Traffic from Manila airport usually takes that long to Quezon city anyway.
This will boost the Central and Northern Luzon economy.Connecting/commuter aircraft operations to Baguio, La Union, Ilocos region and also Cagayan and Isabela airports can be developed from Subic or Clark airports. This will allow passengers choices and eventually lead to cheaper tickets and boost the economies of these areas.
For too long,the government has wasted the economic impact by Subic and Clark airports as well as Subic’s sea port to generate opportunities in jobs and investments to Luzon by its failure to maximize these major infrastructure assets. Metro Manila could be decongested and relieved of its woes such as traffic and possible urban mass casuallty disaster if the 3 airports of Subic/Clark & Manila as well as the 3 seaports of Subic, Mariveles & Manila were fully utilized. Factories & business establishments and Homes could move to either side of empty lands along NLEX, SCTEX etc and create a super pump primed economy where speed and choice in opportunities matter.
What do you think of Sen. Gordon’s proposition? Do you agree with it or not?
