First touchdown in Panglao, April 2010
EIGHTEEN to 23 months from now or at least on April 2010, Bohol bound planes would be landing in a longer, safer and more modern air facility in the resort island of Panglao, the country’s premier international airport authority said.
Officials of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), the lead agency and top financial bankroller for the P4.2B Panglao Bohol International Airport Project said the new airport project here excites the MIAA leadership.
According to MIAA assistant general manager for Airport Development and Corporate Affairs Tirso G. Serrano, “it’s something MIAA aggressively pursued because we believe in the tourism potential of the region.”
MIAA bankrolls at least P3B for its first airport development project with the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) sharing its fiscal resource of another P1.2B.
By April of 2010, the airport would have at least 2500 meters airstrip with paved shoulders, 2 stud taxi ways, 4 aircraft stands serving at most Airbus 320, has category 1 precision and air navigation systems, a two storey 7600 sq. meter passenger terminal building with 360 car park slots, cargo terminal buildings, admin buildings, category 6 crash fire rescue facilities.
To be implemented on phases, the 2010 time table includes the phase 1 or the 2.5 kilometer runway and paved shoulders and phase 2, which is the administration building and passenger terminal, air cargo terminal, crash fire rescue facilities and other support services.
While present check in at the city airport is often clogged, it would be a thing in the past.
The new Panglao facility sports 12 check in counters, 2 arrival and 3 departure conveyors, a customs and an immigration counter, 21 flight information monitors14 restroom blocks, 2 elevators and 2 escalators on the terminal building, airport design bared.
The plan to relocate the province’s premier air gateway soared after experts realize that improving the existing Tagbilaran City airport for bigger handling capacity is not only improbable but also expensive and almost physically impossible, an initial study on upgrading the city airport bared.
Aside from residential areas and business establishments in the city air hub’s immediate perimeter, the existing airport establishments suffer from physical inadequacies like insufficient runway strip, apron space and inadequate equipment and facilities, the project feasibility by TCGI Consultants also add.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo personally leads the capsule laying ceremony, which signifies the instigation of the initial phases of the actual construction of the modern airport right in the tourist resort island in Bohol, May 20.
With her would be MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi, DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Governor Erico Aumentado, Panglao Mayor Benedicto Alcala, Bohol Representatives Edgar Chatto, Roberto Cajes, Adam Relson Jala and other local officials.
The Panglao facility now uses international design standards in its runways and paved shoulders can be upgradeable to 3.4 kilometers so it could accommodate bigger aircraft in the future, says the MIAA.
MIAA said the airport would boost local and foreign tourism industry while underscoring its support for domestic airports with vast potential for tourism and trade in the country. The facility, MIAA said would allow inter-island transfers for sea, air and land possible and the country’s beautiful sites accessible. (rachiu/PIA)
