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| Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (Stock photo) |
THE Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will start rehabilitating and expanding seven airports in the provinces to accommodate the rapid trade and tourism growth in these areas.
DOTC Secretary Manuel Roxas said the
government is keen on improving the airports in San Vicente, Palawan; Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur; Butuan
City in Agusan del Norte; Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte; Sanga-Sanga in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi; Cotabato
City in North Cotabato; and Maasin in
Southern Leyte.
“The government is committed to improve the
airports in these areas where trade and tourism have been in an upswing for the
past year,” Roxas said. “And the government will not stop in implementing these
programmed infrastructure projects, through a transparent public bidding, to
improve the lives and welfare of the people in the rural areas.”
Roxas expressed belief that the local economy
where the airports are situated will further grow. “These projects will have a
multiplier effect as more commercial establishments, factories and industrial
plants are expected to be built in these areas, hence the creation of more jobs
for rural folks. It will also result in
more consumer spending where these projects are located,” Roxas said.
The P62.7-million San Vicente Airport
development project covers the construction of a passenger terminal, a fire
station building, and an elevated 2,500-gallon water tank. It also includes
runway extension with slope protection and hill obstruction removal.
The P42-million Pagadian Airport project seeks
to improve its facilities to accommodate both commercial and private aircraft.
Included in this project are extension of runway, widening of taxiway,
rehabilitation and improvement of passenger terminal building, improvement and
expansion of vehicular parking area, construction of drainage system, and
construction of perimeter fence.
In Butuan City, its P45.5-million airport
development project entails the expansion of the apron, improvement and
expansion of vehicular parking area, construction of drainage system, and
construction of concrete hollow block fence.
The P55.2-million Dipolog airport project,
meanwhile, covers the supply of labor, materials, and equipment necessary for
the completion of construction passenger terminal building. Dipolog is the one
of the busiest air terminals in Mindanao.
In Tawi-Tawi, its P63.9-million Sanga-Sanga
airport project in Bongao needs a new terminal building, an expansion of its
apron, and construction of a drainage system.
The P58.1-million Cotabato airport project calls
for a widening of its taxiway and runway to support the program of making North
Cotabato as a strategic link to the major "Arterial Road
System." The road traverses and
connects the province to Davao City - SOCCSKSARGEN - Cotabato Corridor. Likewise, the Cotabato via Kabacan - Maramag
- Kibawe, Bukidnon Sayre Highway serves as a link to the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan
City Corridor.
In Maasin, Leyte, its airport needs major
improvements to enable it to open for commercial flights. This should support
the tourism initiatives being aggressively pushed by the local government. The
project includes hill obstruction removal and runway sub-grade extension.
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