By Azer N. Parrocha
MANILA, March 30 (PNA) –A new world-class airport will rise in Panglao Island in Bohol by 2017, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said on Monday.
Abaya said the construction of the New Bohol airport, the first greenfield airport project of the Aquino Administration to be developed as an ‘eco-airport,’ was set to begin before the end of summer this year.
An eco-airport will feature environmentally-sustainable technologies.
He said the airport was designed to accommodate one million passengers yearly, catering to the steadily- increasing number of tourists in Bohol.
Japanese joint venture Chiyoda Corp.and Mitsubishi Corp. has bagged the construction contract for Php 3.36 billion.
Abaya said that it was only “vital” to develop and modernize the country’s airports not only to better service passengers, but to also enable economic growth for Filipinos.
Construction of the New Bohol Airport follows developments in the country’s other airports, including the opening of the Kalibo International Airport’s arrival area’s new wing last March 26 and the beginning of regular night flight operations at the Laguindingan Airport last March 29.
Last year, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 was finally opened for full airline operations. In the same year, DOTC also kicked off its project to rehabilitate NAIA Terminal 1.
Furthermore, a more than 8,000-square meter expansion of Clark International Airport passenger terminal building was opened in May, and the contracts to bring the Mactan-Cebu and Puerto Princesa Airports to world-class levels were also awarded. (PNA)