Airports affected by Typhoon Nona back in business – CAAP

Airports that were shut down by Typhoon Nona have resumed operations, except for the heavily-damaged Catarman airport in Northern Samar, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) reported on Wednesday.

"The Catarman airport terminal building is still not in commercial operations due to a collapsed ceiling when Typhoon Nona hit the area on Monday," CAAP noted.

Its runway and flight service station, however, is already usable although only backed by power generator sets, with power and communication lines still down in the area, Area Center VIII Manager Danilo Abareta noted.

The Catarman airport is insured up to P50 million with state the pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), said CAAP Director General William K. Hotchkiss.

Sixty-nine other CAAP-run airports are also insured for physical loss and damages, including sabotage and terrorism, he added.

The other airports in Biliran, Borongan, Calbayog, Catarman, Catbalogan, Guiuan, Hilongos, Maasin, Ormoc, and Tacloban sustained minor damage and are now open.

The airports in Bulan, Daet, Legazpi, Masbate, Naga, Sorsogon, and Virac have also resume operations.

"San Jose, Mamburao, Romblon, Lubang, and Calapan airports in Mindoro sustained only minimal damages and are now back in operations," CAAP said.

CAAP operates 82 airports, of which 42 are handling commercial flights.
It was able to collect some P144.17 million in insurance claims for the damages sustained by the Tacloban and Roxas airports from Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. – Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VS, GMA News