Province supports airport transfer, but spokesman stresses this is not an immediate need, nor a solution to a pressing problem

CEBU, Philippines - The Capitol is supporting the proposal to transfer the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) not only in nearby Cordova town but also in other part of the province.

But Capitol consultant and spokesperson Rory Jon Sepulveda stressed that this is not the immediate need. The more pressing issue is the overcrowded passenger terminal, he added.

“Options can still be entertained but definitely, to address the overcrowding, transferring the airport to Cordova is not the immediate solution. It might be a future solution but we need the solution now of overcrowding,” Sepulveda said in reaction to the offer of Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy to transfer the MCIA to his town.

Sitoy made the offer to the Korean International Cooperation Agency (Koica) during the briefing by airport building experts on the Korean funding agency on the masterplan of the MCIA and results of the feasibility study on a new passenger terminal building.

“There is now clearly a capacity issue besetting our terminal. As reported, our terminal is designed for a maximum number of passengers or capacity. Now we are already surpassing that capacity,” Sepulveda said.

Sepulveda said that Sitoy’s offer was another option for expansion but it is not the solution to the existing overcrowding problem. He added that it would be good if Koica will offer a feasibility study in Cordova for free like what it did in their recent study.

He said that to implement such plan would take a lot of time especially since Sitoy made mention of a reclaiming an area for airport purposes.

The plan got the support of Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas Osmeña, political foe of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. Osmeña said that the development will also provide opportunities for commercial expansion in Mactan Island where MCIA is located. He said Cordova is neglected by the province and this will be an opportunity for the town.

A pre-feasibility study must be conducted immediately and this will cost between P30 million to P50 million.

MCIAA may, however, seek international funding for the detailed feasibility study that might cost about US $3 million.

Osmeña promised to help Cordova in get funding for the feasibility study. (FREEMAN)