Ambassador Laurel Sends Off Cebu Pacific’s Maiden Flight to Clark Airport
From left to right: Tourism Attache Mr. Niel Ballesteros, Narita Airport CEO Mr. Akihiro Tamura, Cebu Pacific Country Manager Mr. Tomohiko Matsumoto, Cebu Pacific VP for Marketing and Distribution Ms. Candice Iyog, Ambassador Jose C. Laurel V and Narita Airport Office Administrator Mr. Yasuo Ishii.
Ambassador Jose C. Laurel V sent off Cebu Pacific Air’s maiden flight from Narita International Airport to Clark International Airport on 9 August 2019, with grateful Filipinos and Japanese tourists conveniently seated on board the four-hour flight from Tokyo to Clark, Pampanga.
Cebu Pacific Air’s new international route aims to harness the potential market of leisure and business travelers to Central and North Luzon, provide more travel options to Filipinos, and enable opportunities for trade and investments from Japan to Clark and Subic.
“Japan is the 4th source market for Philippine international arrivals. Records show that 631,801 Japanese nationals visited the Philippines last year, with 8.15% growth rate compared to 2017 figures. The Philippines is now the 4th biggest destination for Japanese overseas students. Japan is also home to more than 270,000 Filipinos, with many of them making the return journey to the Philippines on a regular basis. The new route will be beneficial to those Filipinos whose hometowns are in Luzon provinces,” Ambassador Laurel remarked.
Ambassador Laurel also said that the direct route to the Clark Special Economic Zone supports President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive to make New Clark City the growth driver for northern Luzon and the “next big metropolis”.
He highlighted the government’s Build, Build, Build Program, which features several infrastructure projects aimed at bolstering economic activity in the region.
Candice Iyog, Vice President for Marketing and Distribution of Cebu Pacific, echoed Ambassador Laurel’s observation.
“The nonstop development of hotels, restaurants and transportation system in Clark is evidence of its growing economy and an expectation of receiving visitors, both for leisure and business,” Iyog said.
Cebu Pacific Air Flight 5J 5069 gets a water cannon salute at the Narita International Airport.
The launch of the new international route between Tokyo and Clark is a result of the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo’s successful negotiations with the Japanese Government for more direct flights between the Philippines and Japan.
Philippine-Japan bilateral relations have been experiencing what many observers dubbed as “Golden Age,” with enhanced partnership in many sectors, including greater air connectivity.
