6 Mindanao Airports Project scheduled on Time

Ozamiz, Pagadian, Cotabato, Zamboanga and Dipolog airports expansion project to be completed this year.

by Manuel T. Cayon
April 8, 2009

DAVAO CITY—The repair and upgrade of six airports in Mindanao would be completed by the second half of the year, that include asphalt overlay, extension of runways, and the construction and repair new and old terminal buildings.

The biggest, the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental, however, would be completed in 2012. This new and modern airport would cost P7.853 billion, accounting for 73 percent of the seven airport development projects in Mindanao.

The six other projects are in their various stages of completion. According to the latest project report given by developers to the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco), there have been no hitches so far in any of the projects.

The Ozamiz airport in Misamis Occidental in northwestern Mindanao is expected to complete in July its 90-meter river bank protection, and the widening, concreting and asphalt-overlay of its runway. The construction works would also include removing runway markings and obstructions, and the rehabilitation of its terminal building, Medco said in the report.

All the works on program have been completed, except for the widening of the runway that remains 50.47-percent complete. Work at the Ozamiz airport began in December 2006 with a budget of P215.13 million.

Work in the P379.46-million Pagadian City Airport in Zamboanga del Sur is expected to be completed by August.

The first phase of widening and concrete works of its runway, taxiway and apron is nearly complete. The second phase is 33-percent complete.

Aside from the current works, the project which started in June 2008 also involves the purchase of meteorological instruments, construction of an administration building and rehabilitation of existing terminal building.

Next to be completed, according to Medco, would be the P600-million Cotabato City Airport. The repair and improvement works for this project started in 2006, following safety concerns about its runway.

The report on the project is not encouraging though, as work on its air navigational facilities and the rehabilitation of its airfield lighting system are still to be approved.

Although the first and major asphalt overlay of the runway was completed, its second stage of the project started only last year and was so far reported at six-percent complete.

Also, the rehabilitation of the terminal building was bidded out only last March 24.

Construction and rehabilitation works on the Zamboanga City Airport is estimated to cost P428.5 million and the P478.05-million Dipolog City Airport expected to be finished in October, the report said.

In the Zamboanga City Airport, work has been completed on the asphalt overlay of the runway as well as the rehabilitation of its terminal building and the construction of its elevated water tank and power house.

The second phase of the rehabilitation work on the terminal building is still to be bid out though, and the asphalt overlay of the second section of the runway is still 9.07-percent complete.

In the Dipolog City Airport, the shore protection project the widening and asphalt overlay of its runway were completed.

The extension of its runway was 46.37-percent complete, according to the Medco report.

The contract for the rehabilitation works for its terminal building was bidded out last March 26, while the purchase and installation of meteorological instruments are now being worked out.

The Laguindingan Airport in Laguindingan town would be the new international airport to service Cagayan de Oro City and the rest of Northern Mindanao. Construction work started in April 2007.

The project required the construction of horizontal and vertical utilities, and the supply, delivery and installation of navigation and support facilities.

The Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund, the South Korean Export-Import Bank and the Nordic Investment Bank of Germany have funded the airport project.

The total cost for the the Mindanao airport development projects was estimated at P10.65 billion.

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