An official of the ACDI Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) revealed on Monday that the start of Davao-Manado air connectivity had been moved from March to June this year due to aircraft availability.
“Due to the availability of the aircraft. May mga revenue flights pa sine-serve until the end of May,” Brigadier General Augusto Gaite of ACDI MPC told Edge Davao.
Leading Edge Air Services Corporation (LEASCOR), the aviation arm of ACDI MPC, and Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) led an exploratory business mission to North Sulawesi, Indonesia to assess the potential resumption of the Davao–Manado air connectivity on January 4, 2024.
Utilizing a Leading Edge 70-seater ATR 72-500, the airline is targeting a load capacity from Davao to Manado of about 65 percent to 70 percent plus cargo.
Previously, the route was served by Bouraq Air in 1992 until 2004. It was revived by Sriwijaya and Merpati Airlines in 2007. Then Garuda Indonesia reopened the flight in 2019 until the Covid-19 lockdown.
The Davao–Manado air connectivity is part of the Mindanao-North Sulawesi gateways under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Connectivity Master Plan with the objective of linking Philippine archipelago to its ASEAN neighbors.
In fact, Davao City has a sisterhood agreement between Manado and Bitung since 1993, both located in North Sulawesi.
ACDI MPC is an Institutional Cooperative serving members from the entire Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other uniformed personnel.
