It’s about opening friendships, adventures, growth

MCIA NEW MEDIA TOUR/JUNE 26,2018:The Entrance of Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 is almost done.(CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

T2 OPENS TODAY

BE FRIENDLY. Be world-class. Be the owner of this airport.

GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) President Louie Ferrer posed this request and challenge to airport stakeholders yesterday after holding a Mass and blessing inside the new Terminal 2.

“Let’s show the world how friendly we can be. The minute they step in the airport, the staff, the immigration, down to the taxi drivers, I challenge you to make it a point to befriend the passengers,” he said.

Dubbed as the world’s “friendliest resort airport,” the P17.5 billion Terminal 2 starts commercial operations today, July 1.

Officials of GMCAC, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza, and other guests attended yesterday’s activity.

Aside from being friendly, Ferrer said the opening of the new terminal is also a chance for Cebuanos to showcase their world-class talents as he cited the likes of internationally-renowned furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue.

At the same time, he urged stakeholders to take ownership of the new terminal, which is a public-private partnership between the government and GMCAC, in order for everyone to feel proud of the structure.

GMCAC took over the management of the MCIA on November 1, 2014. Their concession agreement on the airport will last for 25 years.

“Since we took over the operations of the MCIA, we started changing people’s expectations of airports. And we have been doing that ever since. Tomorrow (Today), we celebrate another first. For us, it’s not just the opening of a new terminal, we open friendships. We open opportunities, adventures, perspectives, and growth,” Ferrer said in his speech.

More tourists

The Terminal 2 is expected to increase the capacity of the MCIA to 12.5 million passengers annually compared to the current 4.5 million.

Mayor Radaza, in her speech, said they are looking forward to even increasing the huge number of tourists visiting their city.

Based on data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7, a total of 4.8 million foreign and domestic tourists visited Cebu in 2017. Of all local governments in the province, Lapu-Lapu recorded the most number of tourist visits last year.

“We are confident we can exceed the number from last year not just for Lapu-Lapu City but for the entire region. This will notch us up in the world tourism map,” Radaza said in her speech.

“I look forward to a very colorful and warm journey ahead of us,” she added.

Spanning 65,500 square meters, the Terminal 2 is dedicated to serve all international flights. On the other hand, the old Terminal 1 will be used solely for domestic flight operations.

Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo led the Mass and blessing of the new Terminal 2 yesterday.

“Airports are convergence points for communities to grow. It’s here you witness two of the most profound emotions of persons — the pain of goodbye and the joy of welcoming loved ones,” Villarojo said in his homily.

The holy image of the Sto. Niño de Cebu was brought to the Terminal 2 for the Mass and blessing.

Check-in process in Terminal 2 starts as early as 1 a.m. on July 1.

The first flight scheduled to arrive at the spanking facility is China Eastern Airlines MU 5023 from Shanghai Pudong Airport in China at 3:40 a.m.

On the other hand, the first flight scheduled to depart from Terminal 2 is China Eastern Airlines MU 5024 returning flight to Shanghai, China.