 | BRIEF NOTES
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Philippine Asks Bouraq to Increase Flights to Davao City
DAVAO CITY - Philippines government asked Bouraq of Indonesia to increase its frequency to Davao City./Foto:Dok.Bouraq
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Antara news agency recently reported that the Philippine Consul General in Manado, Reynaldo Martinez has asked the national private air carrier Bouraq Indonesia Airlines to increase its flight frequency to Davao city, one of the biggest cities in Mindano.
The local government is expected to pass on the call to the management of Bouraq, said Reynaldo in a meeting with North Sulawesi Vice Governor Freddy H. Sualang .
Davao is one of the business cities in Southern Philippines. International business meetings often taken place in this city, so it is quite possible for Bouraq as the only Indonesian private airline serving the Davao-Manado route and businessmen from Manado to capitalize on this
opportunity, he said.
The existence of sister city relations between Manado and Davao City as well as the East Asia Growth Area (EAGA) pose a good chance to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, economy and culture.
In addition, the consul general also promised to invite his country's businessmen to invest in North Sulawesi.
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Gus Dur Denies Plan to Buy
Presidential Aircraft
President Abdurrahman Wahid asserted that the government has no plan to buy a US$ 50 million jet aircraft for presidential use. "No, we have no plan to buy an aircraft. Our foreign debt is still outstanding," said he.
Plan to procure presidential jet aircraft was highlighted by the media and became talk of the nation as Abdurrahman Wahid or amicably known as Gus Dur was on his flight to New York to attend the UN Millenium Meeting last September.
During a refueling stop in Seattle, Gus Dur met with Boeing chairman, Philip Condit. Wahyu Muryadi, the presidential palace protocol, said RI government was considering the purchase of an (Boeing) aircrart for presidential use.
Muryadi said, Boeing has offered a Boeing 737-800 jet at a cost of around US 50 million to US$ 60 million. The 800 is the basic aircraft for the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), but it was not known whether Condit offered the passenger or the business jet version of the 737-800.
The report has drawn positive and negative reactions among government officials. Legislators have also expressed their opposition to the procurement plan.
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