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By JIGGER JERUSALEM
Correspondent .

THE country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL), has canceled its flights bound for Clark, Pampanga from Laguindingan Airport, vice versa, following Monday’s powerful earthquake that rocked parts of Northern Luzon.

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This was confirmed by Laguindingan Airport manager Job de Jesus who said his office received the advisory from the PAL yesterday morning.

De Jesus said the cancellation of flights takes effect “until further notice.”

Meanwhile, there was another powerful earthquake at 1:37 pm yesterday. This time, it was in the Visayas but it was felt in Caraga and northern Mindanao, including this city.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the earthquake’s epicenter was at San Julian, Eastern Samar, with a magnitude of 6.5. It was tectonic in nature.

“Intensity V” was recorded in Tacloban City, Catbalogan City, and Samar, while “Intensity IV” was felt in the cities of Masbate, Legazpi, and Sorsogon, Phivolcs said.

There was also a moderate shaking in Surigao City and light shaking in Cebu City, according to the Volcano Discovery website, which also documented the earthquake.

In its advisory issued Monday, PAL said it has canceled at least four flights for Clark-Laguindingan and Laguindingan-Clark destinations yesterday. PAL flies to said destinations daily.

In its official flight schedules, PAL uses “Cagayan de Oro” or “CGY” as codes for Laguindingan Airport which is based in Laguindingan town, Misamis Oriental.

Canceled were flights PR2351 and 2352 (Clark-Cagayan de Oro-Clark), and PR2323 and 2324 (Clark-Cagayan de Oro-Clark).

“Due to the Central Luzon (Philippines) earthquake, the Clark airport authority has declared the temporary closure of Clark International Airport (CRK) until 7:40 pm local time of April 2 (Tuesday), pending the assessment and repair of the damage incurred by the Clark terminal building,” reads a portion of the PAL statement posted on its Facebook page.

Flight PR2351 departs for Laguindingan at 7:55 am and arrives at 9:35 am PR2352 departs for Clark at 10:15 am and arrives at 11:55 am.

Flight PR2323 departs for Laguindingan at 6:50 pm and arrives 8:30 pm PR2324 departs for Clark at 7:30 pm and arrives at 9:10 pm.

PAL has advised affected passengers to either rebook their flights within 30 days on the same cabin class without fees or refund their tickets. They can also reroute their flights on the same cabin class within three days, without fees.

Laguindingan Airport administrative officer Ariel Paderan, meanwhile, said they have yet to determine the number of passengers who were affected by the flight cancellation, but clarified that none of them were stranded as most have managed to rebook after PAL has issued the advisory.

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