House panel's check on Bacolod airport cancelled

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines  - -The planned visit of the members of the House committee on transportation to the Bacolod-Silay Airport to check its operations and maintenance, has been cancelled, said Rep. Alfredo Abelardo "Albee" Benitez (3rd district, Negros Occidental).

"No more congressional visit because we have a new director general (in Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines or CAAP)," Benitez said, adding that Ramon Gutierrez succeeded Alfonso Cusi as CAAP director general, and was recently sworn into office by President Benigno Aquino.

Benitez, also vice chairman of the transportation committee, said the committee was about to visit the airport to personally see the problems being complained by clients such as poor air-conditioning, dirty comfort rooms, lax security, and lack of personnel.

Asked how he personally assesses the operations of the airport, Benitez said, "It's still the same," but nothing has been done to solve the poor state and security at the Bacolod-Silay Airport.

Benitez, however, said he will give Gutierrez more time to act on the concerns he had raised before the CAAP since last year, and that he is expecting Gutierrez's reply to his letter this week.

Benitez said the eight-man congressional oversight committee assured him that his concerns will be addressed. "I will see to it that the concerns at the airport are tackled during committee hearings," he said. 

The deteriorating state of the airport implies a negative connotation that may affect the economic development, not only of the third district, but of the entire province as well, said the congressman.

On January 4 this year, Efren Madamba, after his appointment as new manager of the Bacolod-Silay Airport, promised to institute reforms, particularly on maintenance upkeep and taxi operations, which his predecessors failed to solve.