Crucial
meeting on Panglao
Airport with GMA set Oct. 6 The
fate of the multi-billion Panglao Bohol International Airport will be known during
a crucial meeting with Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacanang on Oct. 6.
In
attendance during the meeting will be the heads of the national government agencies
involved in the proposed project which was earlier announced by the President
to be completed by April next year.
Gov.
Erico Aumentado who is known for his mega projects in the province categorically
told the President that if the airport project would be derailed, then, it "could
be the biggest issue in Bohol against the administration candidates."
The
governor who is a known political leader of the President has oftentimes relayed
Ms. Arroyo's commitment to complete the project within her term.
However,
latest developments revealed that due to the delayed implementation of the project,
the cost overrun of the project would cost 76%, increasing the project cost to
P7.5 billion as against the outlay of P4.2 billion previously approved by the
National Economic Development Authority-ICC technical board.
The
governor, in his letter to Pres. Arroyo dated Sept. 23, 2009, said "we have
to solve the funding deficiency which only Your Excellency can provide the necessary
solution to the problem at hand."
He
cited that what aggravated the problem in the sourcing of funds was the "realignment
by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) of the allocation for airports
under the Department of Transportation & Communication (DOTC) outlay to the
Civil Aeronautics Aviation Authority (CAAP).
| | | "Time
is running out for the project," Aumentado told the President as he requested
that the runway and allied facilities be started within the year.
Invited
to attend the Oct 6 Palace meeting were DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza, MIAA GM
Alfonso Cusi, DBM Secretary Rolando Andaya, PTA General Manager Mark Lapid, Tourism
Secretary Ace Durano, CAAP chief/PPA General Manager Oscar Sevilla, NEDA-ICC Technical
Board Chairman Rolando Tungpalan and Rep. Edgar Chatto.
The
meeting is expected to address the problems on the airport project, particularly
on the funding requirement. | The
new cost estimate came out after the Philippine Japan Airports Consultants (Phil-JAC)
completed its detailed engineering works for the airport project recently.
With
so much delay in its schedules and barely over six months before the election
ban on awarding government projects, the bidding for the airport construction
and civil works is still in jeopardy as the source of the additional outlay has
yet to be identified.
ANOTHER
OPTION
Aumentado
has a ready second option though - construct the terminal building and allied
facilities under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme.
Aside
from the governor, expected at the brainstorming in Malacañang on October
6 are DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza; Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA)
General Manager Alfonso Cusi; DBM Secretary Rolando Andaya; Philippine Tourism
Authority General Manager Mark Lapid; Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano;
Caap
Director General Ruben Ciron; and Philippine Ports Authority GM Oscar Sevilla
who are supposed to be involved in the funding of the project under Section 6
of President Arroyo's Memorandum Order 210; NEDA ICC Technical Board Chair Rolando
Tungpalan and Rep. Edgar Chatto.
In
justifying the increase, the governor gave a comparative analysis between the
airports in Panglao and Laguindingan in Misamis Oriental.
He
said as proposed, the former has a 2.5-kilometer runway compared to the latter's
2.1 kms. only. Panglao Airport's terminal building will have a 1.5-hectare floor
area while Laguindingan's that is financed by Official Development Assistance
(ODA) has 7,000 square meters only but costs more than the former that is locally
funded.
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