The Surigao Airport was among the airports damaged by Typhoon Odette. Since Dec. 24, it has resumed full operations. (File photo by GERMELINA LACORTE / Inquirer Mindanao)
MANILA, Philippines — A total of 24 airports in the country sustained minor, major, and critical damage due to Typhoon Odette, which pummeled several provinces of the Visayas and the northern portions of Mindanao and Palawan, Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade said Monday night, December 27, 2021.
In a briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte, Tugade assured that all airports would be commercially operational.
He said Siargao airport was the only one to sustain critical damage due to the typhoon.
The airport is currently partially operational but is not yet accommodating commercial flights. It will do so starting Tuesday, Dec. 28.
“By tomorrow, (Tuesday, December 28) even though the airport was critically damaged, it will be commercially operational,” Tugade said, speaking in a mix of Filipino and English.
Meanwhile, the airports in the following places sustained major damage:
- San Vicente
- Dumaguete
- Camiguin
- Siquijor
- Antique
- Maasin
- Surigao
- Mactan-Cebu
Tugade said those airports were already fully operational as of Dec. 24 and have been servicing emergency, military, and commercial flights.
The 15 airports in the following areas sustained minor damage due to Odette, but these remained operational:
- Busuanga
- Puerto Princesa
- Bicol
- Caticlan
- Kalibo
- Roxas
- Bohol-Panglao
- Tacloban
- Ormoc
- Laguindingan
- Cotabato
- Davao
- General Santos
- Butuan
- Iloilo
From Dec. 16 to 18, Typhoon Odette ravaged several provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao and Palawan.
As of Saturday morning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said that 367 were reported dead due to Typhoon Odette and 51 remained missing.
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