Leonardia explains P20B airport expansion project

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines— The P20 billion for the expansion of the Bacolod-Silay Airport is only the cost of the project and not the budget.

This was the explanation of Bacolod lone district Representative Evelio “Bing” Leonardia, as he clarified that the P20 billion is the estimated cost on how much will be spent on the terminal expansion and runway extension works.

Bacolod was among the six airports chosen by the Department of Transportation and Communications to be studied for the public-private partnership project, which will be bid out to investors, said the congressman. Other airports are in Davao, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Puerto Princesa and Bohol.

Leonardia said DOTC Assistant Secretary Jaime Feliciano said many bidders have signified interest on the expansion of the Bacolod project. “The DOTC saw the level of caliber of our airport here and it is viable for a PPP project.”

The Bacolod airport, when it opened in 2008, was overloaded in its first year alone, according to DOTC. “By this year, the airport is expected to accommodate 1.5 million passengers,” Leonardia said, adding that “those who don’t understand about this project should shut up.”

Earlier, Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella questioned the budget for the airport expansion and upgrade, alleging that the P20 billion-budget is not only for the airport here but also for the other five facilities. The mayor claimed that Leonardia’s statement was misleading and way beyond reality.

Representative Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez (3rd district, Negros Occidental), for his part, said: “To my understanding, the Bacolod project is part of the PPP program of the DOTC, like what happened in the Mactan-Cebu Airport.”

Benitez said, “It was bid out. The project was for the rehabilitation and improvement of the airport. It is already in the drawing board.”