Butuan City

[BOB-bXu]

DOTC reclassifies RP's airports
Butuan Airport Now A Principal Class 1 Category Facility

By Lynda B. Valencia

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MANILA,(PNA) -- Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Leandro R. Mendoza ordered recently the reclassification of airports to improve the management of the nautical airport system as well as upgrade, modernize and enhance the civil aviation safety in the Philippines.

Mendoza said the new classification of airports is pursuant to the Philippine Transport Strategic Study and the Civil Aviation Master Plan developed in 1992, identifying the need to revise the country’s airport classification.

The need for classification was also reiterated in the recent Master Plan Study on the Strategy for the Improvement of National Airports in the Philippines conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Under the issued Department Order No. 2008-06, the criteria that shall be considered in the reclassification of airports are: simplicity, transparency, degree of rigidity, ease of up-date, linkage with facility planning, linkage with policy formulation, and linkage with regulatory requirements.

The Air Transportation Office (ATO), which was renamed Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) by virtue of Republic Act No. 9497, otherwise known as CAAP Act of 2008, will initiate the up-dating of classification of national airports in the Philippines.

Updating of the reclassification will be done every three years or as the need arises.

Based on the criteria, the new classification are as follows:

International airports – These are airports with border control facility used for international flights such as Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), Davao, Zamboanga, Puerto Princesa, General Santos, Laoag, Clark, Subic and Kalibo.

Principal airports – These are airports used for domestic scheduled flights. These are classified into Class 1 which are used for jet services (jet aircraft including B737, A320, DC9 or greater, which has equal to or more than 100-seats capacity) and Class 2 which are used for prop services (prop aircraft of jet aircraft smaller than those indicated in Class 1, which has equal to more than 19-seat capacity).

Fifteen airports under Principal Class 1 classification are the Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Dumaguete, Butuan, Legazpi, Cotabato, Roxas, Dipolog, Naga, San Jose, Tuguegarao, and Pagadian.

For Principal Class 2 classification, there are 19 airports and these are the Caticlan, Busuanga, Basco, Masbate, Baguio, Virac, Catarman, Surigao, Calbayog, Jolo, Tandag, Camiguin, Sanga-Sanga, Siargao, Cuyo, Romblon, Marinduque, Antique and Ormoc.

Community airports – Used for general aviation that includes 40 airports such as Plaridel, Cauayan, Palanan, Lubang, Vigan, San Fernando, Iba, Bagabag, Lingayen, Jomalig, Guiuan, Maburao, Baler, Iligan, Hilonogs, Allah Valley, Siquijor, Daet, Ipil, Bulan, Sorsogon, Liloy, Cagayan de Sulu, Rosales, Alabat, Bantayan, Biliran, Bislig, Borongan, Calapan, Catbalogan, Itbayat, Maasin, Malabang, Mati, Ozamis, Pinamalayan, Siocon, Ubay and Wasig. (PNA)

[BOB-bXu]

Cebu Pacific Adds Morning Flights to Butuan

source : http://www.cebupacificairlines.ph/ce...s-to-gensan-bu...

Cebu Pacific (CEB), the country’s leading domestic airline, will expand its existing daily mid-day service from Manila to General Santos and Butuan on July 11 and 12, 2008, respectively.

Cebu Pacific will add a morning flight to its Manila-General Santos service every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, expanding the service to ten times weekly. This translates to a 42% increase in capacity for the Manila-General Santos route.

The additional flight will depart from Manila at 7:05am and will arrive in General Santos at 8:55am using Cebu Pacific’s A320 aircraft. The return flight takes off at 9:25am and lands in Manila at 11:15am.

The budget airline will also increase its daily flights from Manila to Butuan to 11 times weekly, increasing the capacity by 57% for the service. The additional morning flight will depart every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday also using the A320 aircraft.

The flight leaves Manila at 7:35am and arrives in Butuan at 9:00am. The return flight departs at 9:30am and arrives in Manila at 10:55am.

Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific VP for marketing and product, said, “We hope that by adding morning flights to the existing daily mid-day schedule for these routes, we will be able to provide ease and convenience for both business and leisure travelers both to General Santos and Butuan. This will also mean that more low fare seats are going to be available for these routes.”

Now in its 13th year, Cebu Pacific operates flights to 23, soon to be 24 domestic cities with the addition of San Jose (Mindoro) on July 1. It also flies to 15, soon to be 16 international destinations with the addition of Kota Kinabalu on July 18, 2008.
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[BXU-GCP]

JEZL LAE JUMONONG, a student of Father Saturnino Urios University won as the "Ultimate Pinoy Sports Idol" for the season 5 of the TV program "PINOY SPORTS IDOL" besting 12 other hopefuls from all over the country. This TV program is aired over NBN 4. Ms Jumonong is a Taekwondo Champion.

[BOB-bXu]

Photo-op at the Bridge

[jameslab8470]

Anyone care to post the new campus of FSUU? Classes already been started today.

[BOB-bXu]

Originally Posted by jameslab8470

Anyone care to post the new campus of FSUU? Classes already been started today.

James kindly check it at Butuan New Architectural Thread... it was taken a week before the class start though...

[BOB-bXu]

CeButuan PAL Express Bombardier 300 plane in Bancasi

[BOB-bXu]

Butuan's Green Taxi

[BOB-bXu]

Balanghai Hotel Pool and Garden

[BOB-bXu]

Stephen Sy Gaisano

STEPHEN SY GAISANO, JR. - NEW ADDITION TO ROSTER OF MEMBERS

Butuan,Agusan Chinese Chamber

FilChinese Chamber Newsletter Vol. V No. 3

During the Induction of Officers of the Amity Club of Cagayan de Oro City, members of the local Amity Club were invited, Engr. Bonpin and Felipe Gumagay among them. They were approached by Stephen Gaisano, Jr. who wondered aloud why in the four years presence of the Gaisano Mall in Butuan City, he had not been asked to join the local Chamber?

Perplexed because he did not know the answer, Engr. Bonpin referred the big question to us. So we told the latter that we had sent an application form to him through his Butuan Office, that we had followed it up but it seemed that it got lost somewhere. We reminded Engr. Bonpin that when the request of the firm for tax incentives from the Butuan City Investment Board was taken up, we had joined the other Board members in approving it. During their inauguration, we were there with our Congratulatory Floral Arrangement and we even helped in the introduction of the local officials to the management. When nothing happened to the application form, we asked Hugo Un, one of their suppliers and a Chamber Director, who frequently visits their local and even Cagayan office on business, to follow it up but still nothing happened. So we thought Mr. Gaisano was too busy to attend to it.

With the latest development, we immediately wrote a letter enclosing another Application Form which after about two weeks resulted in our being called by Ms Gina Go, Gaisano Mall Butuan manager to her office. We received his letter with his properly filled up Application Form. And we were pleasantly surprised to find a check for P120,000.00 as his Donation for our projects. We immediately wrote a letter of thanks with an Official Receipt to acknowledge his generous donation.

This donation, which was not directly solicited, is especially precious. During our discussion with other officers, we decided that since our existing projects do not need additional funding, we might decide to revive the dormant Volunteer Fire Brigade initially with our Lion Dance Troupe as members. Once organized and should Mr. Gaisano need additional manpower for his Fire Truck, we could coordinate with his own Fire Prevention Team to show our whole-hearted cooperation.

There is a saying that when you want something done, give it to a busy man. It has always been a dream of Butuan City, that there would be a new addition to its fire fighting equipment. Efforts had been made to secure one, first, by approaching other Chambers for advice regarding their source of fire trucks, then the procedure in their acquisition, then with the LGU and finally the formation of a Volunteer Fire Brigade. These had been assigned to our young, dynamic and active Vice President and Area Representative Engr. Aniceto Bonpin, Jr.

All these had been done and through a concerted effort. Even the help of the Regional Office of the NEDA had been sought and its suggestion followed with a MOA with the City Government prepared. However, the authority of the Sangguniang Panglungsod for the City Mayor to sign the MOA needed further discussions. Further hearings got sidelined by the last election fever so everything came to a standstill. This is what we plan to revive.

[BOB-bXu]

Agusan River and Magsaysay Bridge

image hosted on flickr

[doofus]

It is encouraging to read that plans are in place and have already been implemented to improve Butuan.

Personally, I think they should do much much more to attract tourism both home and foreign to Butuan.

Transport links are a complete joke. As a for instance. My wife and I will be in Butuan this coming October. We will fly into Cebu Airport. I have been trying to find out the shipping schedules from Cebu to Nasipit for that time. The shcedules have not been released yet. How can they encouirage peole to Butuan with service like that.

In days gone by there used to be two flights daily from Cebu to Butuan. Now there are about three a week. It's crazy.

Nice to know they are planning to dredge the Agusan River. Also in days gone by ships used to sail up that River right into the heart of Butuan. Wouldn't it be great if the fast 'sea-cat' service operate from Cebut to Butuan right into the heart of Butuan.

That is what they need to do to attract visitors etc. Not send them 20 miles away to Nasipit. A tourist wants convenience and ease of access.

Hopefully they will be serious about developing the Waterfront area. That is Butuan's main asset! Use it!! What is happening with the Boardwalk project? On the back burner for a few years presumably. Another white elephant like the 'sports complex'?

In conclusion. butuan is a place I love and I want it to improve. It has so much to offer.

[GearX]

Welcome to SSC @doofus. Enjoy reading and keep posting...

[BXU-GCP]

Originally Posted by doofus

It is encouraging to read that plans are in place and have already been implemented to improve Butuan.

Personally, I think they should do much much more to attract tourism both home and foreign to Butuan.

Transport links are a complete joke. As a for instance. My wife and I will be in Butuan this coming October. We will fly into Cebu Airport. I have been trying to find out the shipping schedules from Cebu to Nasipit for that time. The shcedules have not been released yet. How can they encouirage peole to Butuan with service like that.

In days gone by there used to be two flights daily from Cebu to Butuan. Now there are about three a week. It's crazy.

Nice to know they are planning to dredge the Agusan River. Also in days gone by ships used to sail up that River right into the heart of Butuan. Wouldn't it be great if the fast 'sea-cat' service operate from Cebut to Butuan right into the heart of Butuan.

That is what they need to do to attract visitors etc. Not send them 20 miles away to Nasipit. A tourist wants convenience and ease of access.

Hopefully they will be serious about developing the Waterfront area. That is Butuan's main asset! Use it!! What is happening with the Boardwalk project? On the back burner for a few years presumably. Another white elephant like the 'sports complex'?

In conclusion. butuan is a place I love and I want it to improve. It has so much to offer.

At present Cebu Pacific flies Cebu-Butuan MWF using an Airbus 319 plane with a capacity of 150 seats. PALExpress also flies daily using a 50 seater Bombardier Q300 plane. That is 750 seats a week. You can book your ticket online. Just log on to http://www.cebupacificair.com or http://www.philippineairlines.com

More seats are available for the Manila-Butuan air route. PAL flies 11 flights a week using Airbus319 for a total of 1485 seats a week. Cebu Pacific also flies 11 flights a week using Airbus320 for a total of 1936 seats a week. Thus there are 3421 available seats per week for Manila-Butuan.

In the 90s PAL flies twice daily Cebu-Butuan using the 36 seater SD300 shorts for a total of 504 seats a week.

Waterjet was suppose to serve Butuan in the past together with Grand Air but these companies went bankrupt even before they can start business in Butuan.

October is still several months away, it will be cheaper to book a flight for your travel from Cebu to Butuan than taking a boat ride(except if you take the economy accommodation on the boat).

The present size of the ships serving Nasipit cannot navigate the Agusan River anymore. Maybe this is the reason passenger vessels are not docking in Butuan Inland Port anymore. Some good news though, Lumbocan Port is being developed right now. Once finished it will be a good alternate port for passenger vessels.

Four shipping companies are serving the Cebu-Butuan(via Nasipit) route.
Cebu Ferries - 2xweek (online reservation is available)
Gothong Southern - 2xweek
SulpicioLines - 4xweek

For Manila-Butuan(via Nasipit)
Superferry - 2xweek
Gothong Southern - 2xweek
Sulpicio Lines - 1xweek

For Iloilo-Butuan(via Nasipit)
Superferry - 1xweek

For Bacolod-Butuan(via Nasipit)
Superferry - 1xweek

For Jagna-Butuan(via Nasipit)
Cebu Ferries - 1xweek
Sulpicio Lines - 1xweek

[BOB-bXu]

Originally Posted by doofus

It is encouraging to read that plans are in place and have already been implemented to improve Butuan.

Personally, I think they should do much much more to attract tourism both home and foreign to Butuan.

Transport links are a complete joke. As a for instance. My wife and I will be in Butuan this coming October. We will fly into Cebu Airport. I have been trying to find out the shipping schedules from Cebu to Nasipit for that time. The shcedules have not been released yet. How can they encouirage peole to Butuan with service like that.

In days gone by there used to be two flights daily from Cebu to Butuan. Now there are about three a week. It's crazy.

Nice to know they are planning to dredge the Agusan River. Also in days gone by ships used to sail up that River right into the heart of Butuan. Wouldn't it be great if the fast 'sea-cat' service operate from Cebut to Butuan right into the heart of Butuan.

That is what they need to do to attract visitors etc. Not send them 20 miles away to Nasipit. A tourist wants convenience and ease of access.

Hopefully they will be serious about developing the Waterfront area. That is Butuan's main asset! Use it!! What is happening with the Boardwalk project? On the back burner for a few years presumably. Another white elephant like the 'sports complex'?

In conclusion. butuan is a place I love and I want it to improve. It has so much to offer.

there is a shift now from riding the ferries to airbuses regarding linkages to Butuan..whether your from Manila or Cebu..

Cebu-Butuan link has significantly improved contrary to what you mentioned...In the past few seats can onlky be accomodated by PAL sunrisers (even if they are operating 2x daily then)...but now, we have Airbus 319 by Cebu Pacific 3x weekly and PAL with their Bombardier Turbo Prop planes Daily...

I guess the Boardwalk Project is not on the top list of priority for the moment as the city nis bent on more high economic impact projects... economics supersedes aesthetics..

[BOB-bXu]

-edit-

[doofus]

Bob,
Can't say as I fully agree with you. I somehow preferred a twice daily service from Cebu to Butuan. I always go fro more choice that a less frequent service with more seats that may go unfilled anyway. I remember using the old planes in the 70's/80's before the sunrisers.

Also it is worth remembering that the flights in recent years Cebu/Butuan have been withdrawn many times and then reinstated months after. Needs consistency.

I still think Butuan has a long way to go in understanding the needs of the tourist. You never know some of those tourists may eventually become businesmen in Butuan in the future.

You stated "economics supersedes aesthetics". I somehow think they go hand in hand especially in the case of the Boardwalk Project. To me the Waterfront area could be the Jewel in Butuan's Crown if they could just realise it.

I know I am in a 'dream world' but it costs nothing to dream!

Wouldn't it also be a good idea if there was a ferry connection from Nasipit to Camiguin. To get there you have to take a bus from Nasipit to Balingoan and then walk to the ferry. If only everything could somehow be 'connected up', get my drift.

[doofus]

Bob-Bxu,
I have checked some back pages on this forum and do owe an aopogy for not checking it out before. It does look as though air services from Cebu to Butuan are being increased by wht you have said.

I noticed that you posted info that PAL are to operate and may well be operating now, a daily service to butuan from Cebu. This coming October I will be interested in the flight leaving on Saturday morning as my International flight arrives late on the Friday evening. Have you any idea if PAL are still running the service.

Another question. You said that there are flights from BXU to caticlan via Cebu. that is great news. Can one be 'ticketed' all the way through from check-in at BXU. That includes luggage etc.

thanks.

[BOB-bXu]

the PAL Cebu Hub (of which Cebu-Butuan link belongs) was discontinued I believed in the late nineties due to PALs streamlining of operations...with a shift of service to jets serving airports capable of handling jet flights. At that time then, its only Manila that is air-linked with Butuan...leaving Butuan-Cebu link under the mercy of mediocre to poor ferry company services...

it was in early 2000 when Sea Air re-introduced Butuan-Cebu link...using planes that were smaller than sunrisers....the service did not get enough patronage due to costs and comfort versus to cheaper ferries...then came Air Philippines with their B737-200 125 seat jet...serving the link 3 to 4 times a week max..the price tag for a seat at that time were not competitive then as the route has no competitor..and so the service did not last long..

it was during late 2000s that Cebu Pacific re-introduced Cebu-Butuan link with more consistency... with twice to thrice(during season) a week...

lately, when prices of tickets went to all time low with their seat sales...the shift from ferries to plane rides become strong and so the schedule became consistent and regular...the demand became big at this sector (and so is the phenomena with destinations around Cebu)...that PAL re established once again their Cebu Hub with now daily service to Butuan...

the ferry service from Nasipit or even in Masao, Butuan to Camiguin is a nice idea...but I guess that would depend on the pace of tourism development AT Camiguin's end, in attracting domestic tourists from Butuan side too..

Maybe this October, kindly share your thoughts with this Boardwalk Project with the Mayor himself...I hope this will become a high priority program too...Right now, the mayor is bent on the establishment of the Agusan River Cruise...

[BOB-bXu]

Lion Dancing in the City

image hosted on flickr

LION DANCE FUND RAISING

Butuan Chinese Chamber Newsletter Vol. V No. 2

During the New Year’s Eve festivities, we had announced that the Lion Dance Troupe would be performing in the different stores to wish them good luck, good health and prosperity, and with the purpose of raising funds for the troupe members’ uniforms, repair of the paraphernalia and other purposes.

At eight o’clock on New Year’s Day, the troupe with Executive Vice Pres. Aniceto Bonpin, Jr., leading them together with Ms Lydia Condino and Mr. Ronald Ucab, troupe leader they started their performances at the Life Hardware and Bakery. From there they went from one Filipino-Chinese or Chinese store to another, resting only to take some refreshment or have lunch.

It was an enjoyable but grueling performance no doubt, and we had anticipated it so we had trained more troupe members as substitutes. At about ten o’clock, the troupe went to the Gaisano Mall where they performed at the main lobby to the delight of their customers. After lunch, they went to the City Hall where they performed at the central atrium, watched by a huge crowd of taxpayers and city hall employees.

In the afternoon, they continued with their solicitation visit, resuming from where they had left off that morning. After a tiring and exhaustive performance, the troupe called it a day after having performed before some 35 business establishments.

As there were more stores still to be visited, the troupe visited again the next day. Some of the store owners voiced their sentiments that they would have preferred to be visited on New Year’s Day itself. However, it was simply impossible to have visited all of them, more than 50 stores lined up, in just one day, especially since some of the special requests such as the City Hall, the Gaisano Mall, the Wing Un, Inc. and a few others were far between.

Still, there were others who were not included in the list who likewise requested to be visited next year. The amount raised during the two day performance less expenses, was enough for the intended purposes. To avoid future complaints, it would be ideal to acquire another Lion Dance paraphernalia so that there would be a pair, and each one could visit half of the listed stores. But this is still not possible, unless some generous person would volunteer to donate the set.

We really have to commend Mr. Ronald Ucab who had trained a very disciplined troupe. They enjoyed the experience and never complained, were content with just refreshment and lunch and a little pocket money. We likewise express our gratitude to Engr. Aniceto Bonpin, Jr. for leading the troupe the first day. But most of all to Ms Lydia O. Condino, the front liner in approaching the various store owners. Hers is really a thankless job that can sometimes make her impatient or even angry because of problems encountered. Without her perseverance however, the fund raising would not have been this successful