Philippine Airlines is set to roll out its Zamboanga-Kota Kinabalu direct flight in March next year. The connectivity is seen to give Malaysians opportunity to explore Mindanao through Zamboanga City.
Mindanao remains an attractive market for Malaysia. In fact, members of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) are said to be actively looking for sectors in which to do business and partner with local traders due to the island’s close proximity to Sabah and Sarawak and its accessibility within the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philipines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
“Providing that direct flight service will provide opportunity for faster transport needs for both Filipinos that are working in Sabah and for Malaysians that are wanting to explore opportunities in Mindanao through Zamboanga,” said Deputy Executive Director Romeo Montenegro, assistant secretary of Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) in an interview.
Montenegro said PAL has been planning to open the Zamboanga-KK route for quite some time. After looking at the viability of the route, the national flag carrier announced the new route last month talong with the Davao-Manado direct flight next year.
The current available flight is Manila-Kota Kinabalu.
“Cebu Pacific first made an announcement last year to serve Zamboanga-KK but hindi natuloy because of certain requirements on the need to have necessary facilities in place sa Zamboanga airport,” Montenegro added.
Incoming president of Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) John Tria told Edge Davao the Zamboanga-Kota Kinabalu direct link will help improve trade within the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) because of its connectivity.
MinDA chairman and Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said connectivity will also give Mindanao opportunity to supply Halal products in sabah.
“Nakausap ko yung chief minister of Sabah and they are in need of a lot of food supply such as Halal beef. Dati kasi ang barter trade natin ay one way affair. Tayo lang ang tumatanggap ng sigarilyo pati sabon at Ma Ling. Wala man tayong ibinalik. Ngayon kinausap ko yung chief minister and he likes the idea to help us stabilize these areas if we can talk to these people and make them productive and supply you the food you need. Ang ilang saging didto pirti mahala katong latundan ug ang ilang manok puro broiler. Ang ilang kanding gikan sa Turtle Island which is near Sabah,” Piñol said.
Piñol said they are taking advantage of these and in fact in January next year, he will be meeting with the trade delegation together with the suppliers from Mindanao and will scout what are the things needed to be supplied in Kota Kinabalu.
“The Zambonaga-KK link will help Davao because we can now go to Kota Kinabalu via Zamboanga rather than going to Manila. Kung madayon ni siya sa March we already have a way to go to Kota Kinabalu and maybe on to Sawarak and we already have the Manado flight. Magkaroon nata ug nindot na connectivity,” he said.
