Virgilio Lorenzo Jr

Gensan airport resumes commercial operations

Photo of the newly expanded General Santos Airport in Barangay Fatima, General Santos City. President Rodrigo  Duterte inspected the airport development projects on November 22, 2021. Simeon Celi, Presidential Photo

Article (news)

Arthur Fuentes

ABS-CBN News

MANILA – The General Santos International Airport resumed commercial operations Monday, officials said, a week after a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake devastated the Mindanao region, killing dozens and displacing thousands.The Gensan aiport reopened to passengers following fast-tracked repairs ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prevent further travel disruptions, the Department of Transportation said.“Mahigpit na bilin sa atin ng Pangulo, dapat hindi patagalin itong tigil-operasyon ng airport dahil alam nating malaking abala ito sa mga pasahero. Ngayon, tapos na ang safety assessment at masisiguro nating ligtas ng makakabiyahe ang mga pasahero mula rito sa GenSan,” Transportation Secretary Banoy Lopez said.The resumption of flights marks a crucial step in recovery efforts after the June 8 quake killed at least 65 people, injured hundreds, and severely damaged infrastructure across Southern Mindanao. Heavy rain and persistent aftershocks have continued to hamper rescue and relief teams working in the disaster zone.Emergency operations remain ongoing across Mindanao as authorities assess the full economic toll of the disaster.