PIA Press Release
2009/05/09

Panglao airport committee wants runway bidding soonest

by Rey Anthony Chiu

Tagbilaran City (9 May) -- THE Inter-Agency Committee tasked to oversee the implementation of the Panglao International Airport Development Project (PIADP) has decided to push for the runway bidding, in a move that would finally make visible the development of the dream airport.

Governor Erico Aumentado, during his weekly The Governor's Reports bared that in its recent meeting dated May 5, the committee has decided to bid the runway development apart from the terminal building and its peripherals.

In its development timetable provided by the PIADP secretariat, the preparation of the project's detailed engineering works would be on from February to July.

The runway bidding then would mean, the component runway was taken ahead of the full project preparations to show substantial development when the target bidding dates in October would be opened.

Observers see this as an indication that, like many who doubt that the tourism super-region support infrastructure promised by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo would really be realized, the committee could not bear to keep the people waiting.

And after more than a year of no apparent visible development since the President launched the project in May, the runway bidding may be the biggest bang to herald the flurry of building activities soon to come.

The runway and its allied facilities, Aumentado explained, would cover some 2.5 kilometers and would be designed in such a way that it can be upgradeable to accommodate the biggest plane of the Airbus fleet.

He added that the runway would soon be extended to 3.8 kilometers but the initial bidding would yet cover the construction of 2.5 kilometer strip.

Moreover, Aumentado, who sits as the Committee Chair revealed that Philippine Japan Airports Consultants have asked for 16 hectares more of lot, a thing already approved by the inter-agency committee.

He added that during the May 5 meeting, the Department of Budget and Management through Boholano representative Mario Relampagos has okayed the use of the funds allotted for land acquisition pending its disbursement, while the project funders have yet to put in the additional funds for the 16 hectares.

Aumentado insisted that the airport should be operational by December 2010, even if it would still be operating on temporary terminal hub, a tent city as he proposed. (PIA)