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July 16, 2010
CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga —
As one of her last acts as Chief Executive, President Arroyo laid the time capsule last Saturday that signaled the start of work on the VIP Jet Services Inc.’s ultra-modern facility for prominent personalities and their private aircraft preferring to have privacy during arrival at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here. The exclusive facility will be the first of its kind in Asia and will be run by the same family that owns the VIP Center in the Van Nuys, California.
This facility is expected to turn the DMIA as an “aircraft hub” for small or regional jets for very prominent people who do not want to go through airport hassles. The President was delighted when told by A Dean Cambe Sr., owner of America-based VIP Jet Services Inc., that it was only during her administration that the company was finally able to get the required permits for its Philippine operations.
“I hope, Madam President, that the incoming administration will share your vision and passion to get foreign investors into the country and that we will be able to go ahead with our plan to operate this facility by the middle of 2012. Maybe, Madam President, you will continue to support us and help us in our needs,” Cambe said during his briefing for President Arroyo. Cambe said he has high hopes that the incoming Aquino administration will similarly encourage them further to do business here. “I hope the new administration will carry on everything that was started. It is for all of us. If we fail, then we all lose,” Cambe said.
“At VIP, we have aircraft charter services, we fix and fuel the aircraft, we also have aircraft sales,” Cambe said. The first phase of the project is the setting up of the P30-million building and then the tooling as well, Cambe said.
Cambe, a Filipino- American, left the Philippines in 1973 and joined the US Navy. He now manages several companies in the United States. His two sons and another American partner are helping him in the project. The Philippine facility will be the company’s largest with an area of 10 hectares.