BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – The Iloilo Airport is not the only airport in Western Visayas needing repair or privatization.
Other airports in Region 6 also need improvement such as expansion of their runways and improvement of facilities to accommodate larger aircraft and increasing number of flights, according to the Regional Development Council (RDC).
These include the Kalibo International Airport and the Caticlan Airport; the Roxas City Airport in Capiz; the Evelio B. Javier Airport in Antique, and the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Negros Occidental.
The RDC said the expansion of passenger terminal buildings and replacement of obsolete and non-serviceable airport equipment were not given the necessary attention as funds were realigned for COVID-19 and disaster response, rehabilitation, and recovery efforts.
Now, the council said, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) intends to pursue the expansion and upgrading of major airports, particularly the improvement of passenger terminals through the procurement of necessary equipment, construction of appurtenant facilities, and widening of the runways.
Likewise, the RDC disclosed that feasibility studies will be conducted on the development of non-primary commercial service airports in some identified areas in the region.
The proposed local airports are being considered in Caluya Island in Antique; Passi City, Iloilo; and Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental.
The airport improvements intend to relieve congestion of the major airports and to provide an alternative for passengers and cargo in certain circumstances including disasters and public emergencies, and support the development of new growth areas.
“The expansion and modernization of the transport terminals and facilities will be prioritized to cater to the increasing passenger and cargo traffic, and ensure convenient, reliable, and safe transportation in the region,” the RDC said.
Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas, chairman of the council’s Infrastructure Development Committee (IDC), earlier renewed his call to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista to hasten the development of privatization of the Iloilo Airport.
Treñas received complaints from passengers who endured humid conditions while queuing in the check-in and pre-departure areas. The passengers also told the mayor that the escalators were also not working.
“I am calling on CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) to explain to me what happened to the funds,” the mayor said, referring to the P190 million that Sen. Grace Po allocated to the agency for repair of the airport’s facilities last year.
The Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Iloilo, Inc. (FCCCI) backed Treñas in urging the DOTr to speed up the repair or privatization of the Iloilo Airport.
Engr. Terence S. Uygongco, FCCCI president, wrote a letter to Bautista requesting the latter to hasten the repair of the Iloilo Airport, preferably through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) process.
“As you are aware, the current state of the Iloilo International Airport significantly impacts Iloilo City and the Province’s thrust to promote itself as a premier tourism destination and UNESCO Gastronomy City,” said Uygongco.
He lamented that the airport’s limited capacity and outdated facilities hinder the growth of tourism and economic activities in the region.
Local officials are pushing for the privatization of the Iloilo Airport to improve its facilities and services to accommodate the growing number of passengers and enhance the overall travel experience.
The airport is also projected to attract more airlines to operate in Iloilo, boosting tourism and economic development in the region.
Senator Poe, the Senate’s transportation committee chairperson, has assured the agency of P190 million for the repair and maintenance of the Iloilo airport facilities.
The bulk of the funds will be used for the expansion of the Passenger Terminal Building (PTB) amounting to P45 million; rehabilitation of the Flight Information Display System (FIDS) worth P30 million; purchase of two unit chillers with 600-watt Cooling Capacity with an estimated cost of P29.5 million; and rehabilitation of Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX) System worth P20.5 million.
Three giant conglomerates have signified their interest to undertake the project through the Public-Private Partnership (PPA).
As of March 22, 2024, the PPP Center website showed the unsolicited proposal of Prime Asset Ventures Inc. Consortium is “under initial evaluation by implementing agency,” while there is no available data yet for Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. and Megaworld./PN
