Creating the Pampanga Agents Travel Society (Pats), the group will look to offer a similar product line, with even pricing to become standardised amongst members.

“[Pats will] have a functional approach to quality service care that will cultivate harmonious relationship among the members and industry players and to respond promptly to the needs of the travelling public,” said the newly formed group in a press statement.

To be affiliated with the national Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), Pats has named Danilo Cerdena as President, Prisca Castor, as Vice-President, Lerma Macarayo as Secretary, and Alvin Reyes as Treasurer.

Their inaugural launch and induction is set to take place at the Pagcor Casino Angeles on the 22nd of August.

Projects the group will look to organise include seminars, product evenings, familiarisations and other activities to promote relationships between member companies.

Other industry partners of Pats include the Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Pampanga, the Department of Tourism, and the Philippine Tourism Authority.

In her keynote address during the centennial celebration of the Pampanga High School here, the President described the Singaporeans’ interest in the development of the DMIA as a clear indication that foreign investors remain bullish on the country’s economy despite the political noise generated by the political oppositions and government critics.

“Singapore (has expressed intent) to meet with airport officials in Clark to give an unsolicited offer to further develop the DMIA,” the President said.

The President added that the Singaporean airport officials were very impressed with the facilities of the DMIA.

Under the President’s initiative, the former military airstrip in Clark Field, Pampanga was converted into an international airport to serve as an alternative to the already congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City.

After investing hundreds of millions of pesos on a spacious new terminal building and large-aircraft support facilities, the DMIA recently acquired new radar equipment to beef up its all weather aircraft tracking facilities.

The DMIA now hosts a number of small international carriers like Tiger Airways, which operates direct flights from the DMIA to a number of Asian cities like Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong.

Access to the DMIA will be further improved with the completion of the country’s longest expressway — the Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressway, another flagship project of President Arroyo.