Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Cebu Pacific Air chartered additional cargo flights from General Santos City bound for Manila to ship food products such as fresh seafood and vegetables.
Eduardo Cueto, the manager of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, said that Cebu Pacific commissioned Airbus A320 aircraft for three more cargo flights en route to Manila every week. This is an addition to the five regular Cebu Pacific cargo flights that happen every week.
Each additional flight has an estimated capacity to carry 9,000 kilos (9 tons). According to MindaNews, the shipment includes vegetables, fruits, seafood like prawns, fish, and, of course, tuna, which General Santos City is known for.
Cueto and South Cotobato first district Rep. Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles both negotiated with Cebu Pacific to have these additional cargo flights.Â
Although the additional cargo flights are temporary, this is still a big help to the livelihood of producers and shippers from General Santos City, as they normally relied on suspended passenger flights to ship their cargo.Â
