DOTC to check environment concerns on Caticlan airport

Caticlan, Aklan , Philippines  – Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza said they will undertake efforts to address environmental concerns raised by the community against the P2.5 billion Caticlan airport project to be undertaken by a private proponent.

Mendoza, in an interview at the groundbreaking of the said airport project on Friday said that President Arroyo as guest of honor, admitted they have been apprised of the concerns raised by some groups in Caticlan about the planned levelling of a hill beside the Caticlan airport.

“We’ll address these concerns,” Mendoza told The STAR.

“We’ll make sure that these questions are answered and checked if an environmental impact study has already been conducted,” Mendoza said.

However, Mendoza said that the upgrade of the Caticlan airport, to be undertaken by the Caticlan International Airport Development Corp. under a build-rehabilitate-operate-transfer scheme, will still go full steam ahead while the concerns are addressed.

“Tuloy tuloy ’to. The only thing that can stop it is if a TRO is issued by a court,” Mendoza said.

It will be recalled that the Boracay Foundation, Inc., composed of environmentalists and businessmen based in Boracay, had recently aired concerns about the Caticlan airport upgrade project, citing possible adverse environmental effects the levelling of the hill will do to Caticlan and the ecology of the world-famous tourist mecca, Boracay island.  – Rainier Allan Ronda