CEBU CITY, (PNA) — Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III intends to continue the rehabilitation of the Camotes and Bantayan airports “in the right way.”
Davide said he will discuss with the Cebu Provincial Board another possible request to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, to push through with the Camotes and Bantayan airports.
Bantayan Island off the northernmost tip of the Cebu mainland and the Camotes Islands off Cebu’s fifth district are considered as tourist destination areas.
Davide said the rehabilitation and improvement of these two airports were discussed during the board meeting Thursday of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) where they also discussed the P17.5-billion expansion project for the Mactan airport.
“Hopefully, in the second week of November they will start the bidding process for the Mactan airport expansion,” Davide said.
Earlier, Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said the approval of the two airport projects in the previous administration and its award to the contractor did not have the PB’s authority
The project plan was also without the CAAP’s approval.
The Capitol allocated P25 million for work on each airport or a total of P50 million in 2012.
The contract amount for Sta. Fe airport in Bantayan is P76.03 million, while for the San Francisco Airport in Camotes Island is P70.908 million.
Sargasso Construction and Development Corp. is the contractor of both projects.
When Magpale assumed as acting governor, it was found out that Sargasso sought payment of P10 million for initial work done on the Camotes airport.
The Camotes airport project includes a 1.2-km. runway, a hangar and a passenger terminal.
Rep. Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu, fourth district) said is hopeful that Davide will continue the major improvements started by former governor Gwendolyn Garcia on the two airports.
He said development of the airport in his district will definitely spur development in the island of Bantayan, now a tourist destination.