Aquino inspects new Misamis Oriental airport

(Updated 4:44 p.m.) President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday inspected the P7.85-billion Laguindingan Airport, the newly-built gateway to the province of Misamis Oriental in Mindanao.

 

The airport, which has a 2.1-kilometer runway, will open on Saturday to provide a "safer alternative" for flights to northern Mindanao. Aircraft bound for this area currently land at the smaller Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro City.

 

In a text message, Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the Lumbia Airport will be closed once the Laguindingan Airport opens this weekend.

 

"It [Lumbia airport] will be taken over by the 15th Strike Wing of the Philippine Air Force... Hopefully, they can complete their full transfer to Lumbia within a year's time," Abaya said.

 

The infrastructure project, which was undertaken through funds from South Korea, is expected to host 1.6 million passengers per year and to boost tourism and agriculture-oriented activities in northern Mindanao.

 

The new airport is located an hour away from Cagayan de Oro City, a major urban center in Mindanao

 

Effective airport service

 

Aquino arrived at the new airport at past 10:30 a.m., and was joined by Abaya and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Director General William Hotchkiss III. 

 

Also present were Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, South Korea's Ambassador to the Philippines Hyuk Lee and businessman Jaime Augusto Zobel Ayala, who donated 183 hectares of land for the airport project.

 

In his speech, Aquino vowed to make sure that the newly-built airport will provide effective services to passengers.

 

"Kumpiyansa po tayo na magiging bukal ito ng mas malakas na turismo at mas maraming oportunidad para sa ating mga kababayan," the President said.

 

"Klaro po: Sagisag ang paliparang ito sa bagong mukha ng mga proyekto ng ating gobyerno. Tamang tao ang may hawak sa makabuluhang programa na gagawin sa mas murang halaga at tamang kalidad," he added. 

 

The opening of the airport was originally scheduled middle of April, but was postponed amid criticisms from some Northern Mindanao-based businessmen on the infrastructure's supposed lack of navigational equipment.

 

In a separate interview after the event, the President explained that the Laguindingan Airport is still safer than the airport in Cagayan de Oro despite the fact that it will operate using only visual flight rules until May next year. 

 

"Itong airport, medyo mas patag and is safter that Lumbia with the instrument landing system. 'Yung terrain niya mas maraming ridges for landing and take-off. Medyo mas delikado doon kaysa rito na mas patag," he said. — Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMA News