CEBU, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III assured that before the end of his term, the Mactan Cebu International Airport and two more airports will be upgraded, and new airports will be built in the different parts of the country.
The new airports will be the New Bohol Airport in Panglao, New Legaspi Airport in Daraga and Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental.
“We will also upgrade our international airports in Mactan, Cebu; Tacloban and Puerto Princesa airports, so they can receive more passengers, in addition to remodeling the airports in Butuan, Cotabato, Dipolog, Pagadian, Tawi-Tawi, Southern Leyte, and San Vicente in Palawan,” he added.
The proposed “New Mactan Cebu International Airport Passenger Terminal Building” has an indicative cost of US$135 million or P3.5 billion that would be implemented through Private-Public-Partnership.
MCIA served 6.2 million passengers in 2011, although it is only designed to serve 4.5 million passengers per year. The rate of passengers using the airport is allegedly growing at an annual rate of about 15 percent.
SONA praise
Some Cebu officials said they were happy with the SONA.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said that the SONA is optimistic and reflective of the true state of the nation.
Rama said that the President’s accomplishments are evident in Cebu in the areas of tourism and infrastructure, among others.
“We can see it in Cebu. Our tourism is getting high and we have our share in the infrastructure,” he said.
With so much the current administration has provided in Cebu, Rama said there is no rea son to be demanding. Rama said that even the Panglao International Airport mentioned as one of the priority projects in the Visayas will also be good for Cebu.
Councilor Edgardo Labella also said he was impressed with the SONA.
“The president was very clear and categorical in his thrusts in improving the economy, fighting corruption and the bureaucracy and diffusing the social imbalance besetting the country. They were all substantiated with statistics. One of the best SONAs I’ve ever heard,” Labella said.
Sixth District Rep. Luis Gabriel Quisumbing also praised the SONA.
“I join the president in his vision of a nation where every Filipino has the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Empowerment not discouragement. I join in his prayer that peace reaches every corner of our nation where before, not only bloodshed has held sway. Progress not devastation,” he said in a text message. — with Jessica Ann R. Pareja, Flor Z. Perolina and Christine Emily Pantaleon, /BRP (FREEMAN)