Davao City in talks with Japan airline to open Osaka-Davao direct flight

By MAYA M. PADILLO

Thecity government of Davao is exploring with All Nippon Airways (ANA) the planned establishment of Osaka-Davao direct flight, according to an official.

Councilor Bernie Al-ag told media on Monday that Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, together with some City Councilors, discussed with ANA the possible opening of Osaka-Davao direct flight from Kansai International Airport during their trip to Japan last week.

“Nagmiting si Mayor (Baste) with the Davao City Councilors kauban ang ANA airlines to discuss ang ginaplano na Osaka-Davao City direct flight. We are also looking at other airlines like Cebu Pacific and

Davao City hopes to jumpstart chicken exportation to Sennan City this year

Davao City Councilor Bernie Al-ag said on Monday that the city government of Davao is hoping to jumpstart chicken exportation to Sennan City in Osaka, Japan this year.

Al-ag, chair of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Industry of the City Council, said this is among the gains in the Sister City Agreement between Davao City and Senna City, Osaka, Japan signed by Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte and Sennan City Mayor Yamamoto Yuma at the Sora Rinku Conference Room in Sennan City on April 25, 2023.

“In terms of business, we want to send our products to Osaka thru Sennan City. Right now, naa ta’y nakita na potential sa chicken. Ang mga restaurant didto kulang ang ilahang mga manok. Kasagaran sa ilang chicken didto gikan sa Brazil, 30 days ang travel while Davao to

Japan is only five days. Gusto nila kanang naka-cut na daan. Kung unsa tung cut na ilang gusto mao to ang ilang paliton,” Al-ag said in an interview.

He said this will also generate employment in Davao City as laborers to cut the chicken will be needed.

Al-ag said the Davao delegation also went to the Philippine Embassy with Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Japan, to know what its process is.

“Ginaasikaso na karon and we hope to jumpstart this product exporting within this year,” he said.

In terms of promoting Davao City in Japan, Al-ag said Sennan City committed to promote Davao City to the whole Osaka prefecture.

“Kay ang Sennan City isa lang man siya ka syudad sa Osaka,” he said.

PAL,” Al-ag said in an interview.

However, according to Al-ag ANA is not yet ready to fly outside Manila because it is still recovering from the impacts of the pandemic.

He said the city government of Davao is now looking at holding a meeting with Cebu Pacific and the Philippine Airlines for the possible establishment of the route.

“We will meet because naa na ta’y partner sa Osaka that they will promote Davao City. Daghan walay kaila ug Davao City didto mga local Japanese. Because Japan now is the number one tourism destination sa mga Pilipino, nabasa nako na half million Filipinos na ang mibisita sa Japan as tourists since January and that is a big volume and we want to know pila from Mindanao niana. So dili lang kita ang mu-benefit pati sila,” Al-ag said.

It was in 2019 when ANA expressed its intention of making Davao City in their route expansion plan in a roadshow by a delegation led by the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) in Tokyo, Hitachinaka, and Saitama.

It can be recalled that former DCCCII president Arturo M. Milan shared then that Davao was not even in ANA’s “radar screen” for flight expansions and the company’s officials were quite surprised to learn that there are now several international flights to and from the city.

The DCCCII official also emphasized that the potential passenger load for direct flights to Davao includes not just business travelers and tourists, but also Filipinos residing in Japan.

The Osaka-Davao City direct flight is expected to boost tourism in the city and its nearby provinces.

Al-ag said the discussion with ANA is among the gains in the sisterhood agreement signed by Duterte and Sennan City Mayor Yamamoto Yuma between Davao City and Senna City, Osaka, Japan at the Sora Rinku Conference Room in Sennan City on April 25, 2023.