MikeLigalig.com

New Bohol airport to help raise Philippine competitiveness (published by Bohol Sunday Post in September 2013)

There is a world of logic to build the new Bohol airport because its rise and the development of other airports in the country are foreseen to make the Philippines to the top one-third of the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI).

The modern international airport which will rise on Panglao island is among the major projects in the public-private partnership (PPP) program of the Aquino administration to address the country’s infrastructure issue.

During the recent World Economic Forum (WEF), the infrastructure concern in the country floated as the most problematic among the so-called 12 pillars of economic development.

The WEF report cited the airport as one of the problematic infrastructures in the country and, according to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Sec. Gregory Domingo, the implementation of priority airport projects is a key to global competitiveness.

The country placed 59th in the 2013-2014 Global Competitiveness Report of the WEF from 65th spot in 2012 and it has to elevate to the 49th rank to be in the top one-third of the competitiveness index.
The higher slot is attainable once the country’s state of infrastructure, especially involving airports, is raised to higher level.

Bohol’s effort was intensified when Gov. Edgar Chatto on Wednesday presided another meeting of the New Bohol Airport Construction and Sustainable Environment Protection Project (NBACSEPP) – Local Project Management Team (LPMT) at the People’s Mansion.

The meeting was attended by Engr. Florencio de la Cruz, Jr. and Larry Holgado of the Department of Transportation and Communications – Project Management Office (DOTC-PMO) and consultant Yuki Todoroki of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The governor led the discussion on the progress of the various pre-construction phases of the airport project, which is set for concrete implementation next year until it is finished before the term of Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III ends in 2016.

Updates were provided on the resettlement project, extent of land acquisition which includes the lot for water storage facility, monitoring system on the resettlement action plan which JICA would like to be further strengthened, and livelihood and restoration and employment plan, among other social components of the gigantic airport project.

The Bohol airport project is to be executed under a multi-year fund package involving releases from the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Philippine government counterpart.

First District Rep. Rene Relampagos said the donor entity which is the the Japanese government thru JICA finances the great bulk of the project, which costs P7.2 billion, while the Philippine government counterparts 10% of the total amount.

Of DOTC’s P48.7 billion funding next year, almost P30 billion will go to the modernization of the country’ transport system, including the development of airports like the new one for Bohol
Over P9 billion will fund the development of air facilities, including the start of the Bohol airport construction within the second quarter of 2014.

The DOTC budget for 2014 shows an increase of over 30% which, according to Chatto, could further prove the president’s sincerity in assuring repeatedly the Boholanos of the realization of their dream airport after its conception over 20 years ago.

Relampagos said the tendering of the bid documents for airport works are set within the first quarter of 2014 en route to the start of project’s concrete implementation between April and June.

The governor and congressman are coordinating in hastening the issuance from the DOTC to the winning bidder of the notice to proceed with the perimeter fencing of the airport site this year.

Relampagos, who succeeded Chatto in the chairmanship of the tourism committee in Congress, was bold and confident in saying yesterday of the airport project, “One thing is sure. It’s there already.” (Ven rebo Arigo)

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=89145.0