DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/5 January) – The resumption of Davao-Manado direct flights was among the possibilities eyed by Davao City stakeholders who held an exploratory business mission in the Indonesian city Thursday.
Adrian Tamayo, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) public relations officer, said in a radio interview that exploratory and business talks have commenced between businessmen from Davao and Manado, which focuses on product connection and complementation, along with the Davao-Manado flight resumption.
“We are about to engage in exploratory business discussions, as we are flying with a group of businessmen representing the Davao Chamber, Philippine Chamber, and joint foreign chambers, aiming to foster collaboration and opportunities,” Tamayo said in a radio interview, Thursday.
Aside from officials from MinDA and the Davao-based chambers of commerce, the 33-man business mission included dive tour operators, members of the Davao City Citizen Media Council, and Leading Edge Air Services Corporation, the aviation arm of ACDI Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
In a press release, MinDa said the business mission also aims to assess the current market conditions and opportunities for reviving the air route which was halted in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Secretary Romeo Montenegro, MinDA deputy executive director, the mission to revive the Davao-Manado air route is “a timely and strategic shared action” due to its viable air connectivity potential.
He also said that the mission aims to facilitate increased interactions, exchanges, and mobility between Manado, Davao, and the larger regions of Mindanao and North Sulawesi.
The Davao-Manado air route was halted in March 2020, just months after it was relaunched in September 2019 after 12 years.
The air connectivity between Davao and Manado is a component of the Mindanao-North Sulawesi gateways, which is part of the ASEAN Connectivity Master Plan.
One of its goals is to establish connections between the Philippine archipelago and its neighboring ASEAN countries.
Since 1993, Davao City has had a sisterhood agreement with Manado and Bitung, both situated in North Sulawesi.
Back then, the Davao-Manado flights were available twice weekly, on Mondays and Fridays using an ATR 726-600 aircraft that can carry 70 passengers. (Ian Carl Espinosa/MindaNews)
