2.3B Mindanao airports upgrade to be completed by June

as part of Mindanao Super Region Development Agenda of PGMA

March 5, 2010

Manila — The 2.3 billion Mindanao regional airport upgrade program is set for completion before June this year says Mindanao Secretary.

Secretary Jesus Dureza, Presidential adviser on Mindanao, said the completion of the six airport infrastructure related development for Mindanao is part of the Super Region Development Strategy of President Gloria Arroyo which is now on its final phase of development.

The airport projects for completion in 2010 are:

1. Butuan Airport Development Project............................. Budget = P592.74 million
2. Dipolog Airport Development Project............................. Budget = P478.05 million
3. Zamboanga Airport Development Project..................... Budget = P451 million
4. Pagadian Airport Development Project.......................... Budget = P375.46 million
5. Cotabato Airport Development Project.......................... Budget = P327 million
6. Ozamiz Airport Development Project............................. Budget = P212.12 million

Butuan, Dipolog and Cotabato airports were part of the ADB Third Airport Development Project proposal with a price tag of almost P700 million pesos. The projects were implemented alone by the national government in 2007 due to price escalation and lot acquisition problems plagued by delays and court proceedings. The P7.8-billion Laguindingan airport in Misamis Oriental, which is a foreign funded project, will be completed beyond 2010.

• Butuan airport has an initial budget of P306 million in 2006 but due to delay on its implementation, project cost ballooned to P311.2 million. It has a current appropriation of P592.74m for runway extension and airport passenger terminal (APT) expansion.

• Dipolog Airport has an original project cost of P677.77 million but was appropriated only P478.05m for runway extension, expansion, and shore protection. Funding for APT expansion and ILS installation amounting to P199.72 million is set to follow but will be implemented beyond 2010.

• Pagadian Airport development has a P515.76 million price tag. Initial budget of P300.9 million for runway repairs and expansion was allotted but due to delay in its implementation, cost ballooned to P309.46 million in 2007. It has an appropriation of P375.46 to include terminal improvements, new FSS and navigational facilities totaling P66 million which is earmarked for 2009 and 2010 GAA.

• Ozamiz Airport which reopened in 2008 has a budget of P220.125 million but was appropriated only P212.12 million for its development.

• Zamboanga Airport has a budget of P280.7 million for asphalt overlay, equipment maintenance and rehabilitation. P30 million was set aside for Feasibility Studies on new Zamboanga airport. Project was however shelved indefinitely due to poor passenger volume. New appropriations was made instead in 2009 amounting to P117.8 million for completion of runway overlay, APT repairs and facilities upgrade with total project cost of P428.5. In 2010, additional P23 million was added to the project for completion of APT improvements and expansion.

• Cotabato Airport meanwhile has no deductions and additions to its budget.

Secretary Dureza said Tuesday that the project is part of the 10 major infrastructure developments worth P13.95 billion and scheduled for completion before yearend.

Mindanao is home to 22 million people based on 2008 NSO population census. The project's main aim is to reduce poverty incidence in the region by investing more on education, good roads and infrastructure. This in turn will provide local jobs and employment opportunities.

"Under the Super Region strategy, the projects will spur further growth in Mindanao, and some of them are bearing fruits already, " says Dureza who hails from Davao.

Dureza also said that some of the integrated transport and network system in the whole country are now in place. He added that a total of six projects were prioritized with funding requirement of P87.76 billion, eight projects worth P17.45 are already completed, and 22 are ongoing and expected to be completed before June 2010.

"From 2001 to 2009, P51.68 million was spent for the construction and/or improvement of 6,557.47 kilometers of roads and 37,734.23 linear meters of bridges thereby allowing unimpeded flow of products from the production areas to the processing plants and markets and distribution points," he added.

Seven other road projects are still on going, six of them are due for completion before June 2010. They are:

• Sibuco-Sirawai-Siocon-Baliguain;
  
• Dapitan-Dakak;
  
• Iligan City Circumferential Road;
• Kapalong-Talaingod;
• Dinagat Island Road Network;
  
• Surigao-Davao Coastal Road;
  
• and the Central Mindanao Road connecting Awang, Upi and Lebak.

Surigao-Davao Coastal Road project has been completed recently which includes the Hawijan-Salug Sinakungan Road, and the Diosdado Macapagal Bridge in Butuan City.