PORO POINT FREE PORT-President Arroyo leads today?s inauguration of the newly upgraded San Fernando Airport in La Union that is seen to boost tourism and investment opportunities in the North.

The President is expected to plane in here this afternoon, accompanied by Cabinet members for the opening rites.

On hand to welcome the Chief Executive are Bases Conversion and Development Authority president and CEO Narciso Abaya, La Union Gov. Manuel Ortega, Rep. Victor Ortega, San Fernando Mayor Pablo Ortega, and the BCDA and Poro Point Management Corp. board of directors.

The San Fernando Airport is part of the Poro Point Special Freeport Zone being managed by the PPMC, a subsidiary of the BCDA, which bankrolled the P565-million airport upgrade project.

Abaya said the resumption of operations of the San Fernando Airport will further strengthen Poro Point in attracting more investments and tourists, thereby generating more job opportunities for the people of La Union. ?Increased investments and tourist spending augur well for the economy of La Union,? Abaya said.

PPMC president Felix Racadio said the Phase I airport upgrade project included removal and leveling of a hill, runway widening, overlay of taxiway, fencing, construction of a new control tower, renovation of fire station, provision of aeronautical ground lighting system, installation of an automated weather observation system, and air traffic control console equipment.

?The upgrade meets the International Civil Aviation Organization [ICAO] standards and enables the airport to accommodate larger planes such as Boeing 737 and Airbus 320,? Racadio said.

PPMC executive vice president and chief operating officer Anthony Manguiat said the resumption of airport operations was expected to further increase passenger and cargo traffic which, in turn, would boost the economy of La Union and neighboring provinces.

?The San Fernando Airport will complement the already existing international seaport, thus making Poro Point an ideal site for commerce and tourism,? Manguiat said.

PPMC vice president for airport operations Catherine Bada said that at present, all flights to San Fernando are chartered planes. She revealed that negotiations are going on with commercial airlines for regular domestic flights between Manila and San Fernando. A Manila-San Fernando flight averages about 50 minutes.

She added that 15 flying schools are currently using the airport for cross-country training flights.

Thunderbird Resorts director for marketing Cheryl Arnold said the airport upgrading augurs well for the growth of the tourism industry in the North, notably Baguio City and the provinces of Pangasinan and Ilocos.