SENATOR Paul A. Manglona and Rep. Donald M. Manglona will tap their office funds to pay for the presence of a Customs and Border Protection officer at the Rota airport at least for one month while the lawmakers look for another source of funding.
Currently, whenever a chartered flight from Rota to Guam is scheduled, Star Marianas Air will transport a CBP officer from Saipan to Rota to “clear” departing passengers to Guam. Afterward, SMA will fly the CBP officer back to Saipan.
Senator Manglona said if SMA resumes its regular Rota-Guam flight service, passengers on Rota will end up paying for the cost of transporting the CBP officer.
In an April 26, 2022 letter to Star Marianas Air general manager Jose Cruz, Rep. Donald Manglona requested the resumption of air service between Rota and Guam “as soon as May 8, 2022.”
He said this air service “would provide the island of Rota, in addition to U.S. mainland and international destination transit flights, a greater opportunity for medical care, education, and access to affordable commodities on Guam.”
He added, “It is for these reasons that I hereby request for your approval in resuming the air service between Rota and Guam with the understanding that the daily cost of the air transportation of a Saipan-based CBP officer to Rota for a span of one month will be borne by my office and the office of Sen. Paul Manglona.”
He said the payment will be processed immediately upon approval of his request.
In the meantime, he added, “a permanent arrangement will be made for a source of funding to be provided through the Rota Legislative Delegation or the central government to ultimately avoid the financial burden being shouldered by the passengers of this air service.”
For its part, the Commonwealth Ports Authority said it “does not have the authority to implement any procedures for CBP clearance and that the decision lies with CBP. Nevertheless, CPA management will continue to work with CBP and airline companies to explore different alternatives to address the issue.”
US Customs and Border Protection form to fill out
