Alex Cauguiran, convenor of Move Clark Now, has assailed some government agencies for implementing stringent rules which he described as "counter productive, impractical and contrary to what President (Arroyo) wants" for DMIA.

Move Clark Now is a broad-based multisectoral group that has been pushing for the operation of DMIA as the country’s premier gateway.

This developed as Tiger Airways suspended for two days its Macau-Clark-Macau flights because of an expired license from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).

The license has to be renewed on a monthly basis and CAB still has to issue a permit for this month.

"Other government agencies are rowing in a direction that is not heading to progress at all. They are enforcing rules which negate a direct instruction from the President to fully develop and mount more flights at DMIA," Cauguiran said.

About 400 passengers bound for Macau were stranded last Jan. 10 and 11 at the DMIA, according to Sonny Lopez, CDC public relations manager.

The flights later resumed on the basis of temporary 10-day license issued by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC).

Lopez said this has caused unquantifiable damage to passengers who are mostly OFWs and visiting tourists.

He added that the suspension of flights might even cause OFWs to either be suspended or lose their jobs as a result of the flight cancellation.

Mayor Marino Morales, chairman of Metro Clark Advisory Council (MCAC) said that government agencies mandated to establish flights at DMIA must pursue programs and projects that will support the order of President Arroyo.

"I remember clearly that the instruction was for CAB and other agencies to always consider DMIA in various flights negotiations. This is the standing order. As to why does CAB issues permits on a short-term basis to some airlines is something that may not be consonance to the directive," Morales said.

Morales said that flight cancellation on the basis of "mere bureaucratic paperwork" must not happen again. He called on CAB officials to improve its systems of processing permits for airlines operating at the DMIA.