The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has announced the reopening of General Santos Airport for military, government, and humanitarian flights. This decision comes in the wake of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Sarangani Province.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez emphasized the importance of ensuring the airport's operational status to facilitate the delivery of relief supplies and personnel to impacted areas.
Key Actions and Safety Assessments
Keeping the airport operational is critical to ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of relief supplies and personnel to affected communities.
Giovanni Lopez, Transportation Secretary
Lopez instructed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to conduct ongoing evaluations of the airport's infrastructure to guarantee the safety of passengers and aviation personnel.
In addition to reopening the airport, the DOTr is implementing measures to assist stranded passengers in the earthquake-affected region.
The maritime sector of the DOTr has also ramped up safety and emergency protocols following a tsunami warning issued by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. The Philippine Coast Guard has been directed to mobilize resources to assist affected communities.
As a precaution, a no-sail policy is now in effect across several Coast Guard districts in Mindanao, including Southeastern Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, until the tsunami alert is lifted.