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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.

   
    
source: bohol chronicle.com
   


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