Presidential Insecurity at Baguio

     
    

The Mansion House is the Philippine version of Camp David.
Ironically, this Presidential retreat in Baguio is used most during the cool Christmas holidays. 
When the President spends Christmas week there, a gaggle of Presidential aircraft descends onto Loakan airport.
  
 

    
  
  
  
     
During these Yuletide deployments, Loakan, with its runway edged by cliffs and ravines, looks even more like an aircraft carrier.
Helicopters crowd the tiny ramp.  [...]

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Mike Oscar and the Hovering Helio

Clark, or Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, never stopped commercial operations during the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.  So Air Traffic Control was a critical resource.  Our ATC partner was no less than the Tower Chief himself, call sign “Mike Oscar”.
  
MO worked side-by-side with us all four days.  Then he went on duty in the Tower at night on Saturday and Sunday.
He never refused [...]

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