Arthur Fuentes

TO GO WITH AFP STORY :ICELAND-VOLCANO-ERUPTION-KATLA-FOCUS
An Icelandic flag flies next to a church in Vik, a village sitting at the base of the Myrdalsjokull glacier, which is part of the ice cap sealing the Katla volcano, in Vik, on April 22, 2010. Katla, a volcano 10 times more powerful than neighbour Eyjafjallajkull, which erupted last week and impacted air traffic worldwide, has erupted in intervals of 40-80 years and its last eruption was in 1918. The village of Vik sits between the two main lava and glacial flood routes and has set up evacuation plans to abandon the village promptly if Katla erupts. AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel Dunand (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP)

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Iceland glacier

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17872076910261787207700103.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>An Icelandic flag flies next to a church in Vik, a village sitting at the base of the Myrdalsjokull glacier, which is part of the ice cap sealing the Katla volcano, in Vik, on April 22, 2010. Katla, a volcano 10 times more powerful than neighbour Eyjafjallajkull, which erupted last week and impacted air traffic worldwide, has erupted in intervals of 40-80 years and its last eruption was in 1918. The village of Vik sits between the two main lava and glacial flood routes and has set up evacuation plans to abandon the village promptly if Katla erupts. AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel Dunand (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP) </div>MANILA — The Philippines and Iceland have signed a deal that opens the way for direct flights between the two countries to strengthen air connectivity, trade, and tourism, officials announced Thursday.The Department of Transportation said the two countries have signed their first bilateral Initial Air Services Agreement (ASA) following two days of negotiations held in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik on August 18–19. Assistant Secretary Edgar Badajos of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and Sigríður Eysteinsdóttir, Director and Chief Negotiator for Air Services Agreements at Iceland&#x27;s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, finalized the deal.Under the framework, each country is granted seven flights per week—equivalent to one flight daily—for passenger and cargo operations. Direct or connecting services may be established under the traffic rights, based on commercial demand, the DOTr said.Transportation Secretary Banoy Lopez hailed the agreement as a significant milestone for bilateral civil aviation ties.&quot;This Agreement will serve as the foundation for our future air transportation relationship and will provide our airlines with a framework to explore new opportunities for connectivity between our two countries and, ultimately, between our respective regions. Today, we are not simply concluding our first air negotiations. We are opening a new chapter in Philippine-Iceland relations in the field of civil aviation,” Lopez said.Icelandic delegation head Director Sigríður Eysteinsdóttir also welcomed the outcome of the discussions.&quot;I would like to thank you all for the warm, friendly, and constructive spirit in which our discussions have taken place. We are very pleased with what we have achieved together. Our discussions have helped us to better understand each other&#x27;s priorities and find a way forward,&quot; she said.The initiative aligns with Manila&#x27;s efforts under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to expand international aviation links, particularly within the Nordic region, the DOTr said.At present, trips from Manila to Reykjavik require connecting flights via major Asian, Middle Eastern, or European hubs.

Filipinos who want to travel to Iceland have something to look forward to.

Philippines, Iceland ink deal to have 7 flights per week

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Philippines, Iceland ink deal to have 7 flights per week

Arthur Fuentes,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 20, 2026 02:35 PM PHT

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