Construction of new Zambo airport pushed

WHILE SOME politicians are claiming credits for the proposed new international airport here and other national government infrastructures, unknown to the Zamboangueños, the project is being pushed by Mayor Beng Climaco even when she was a member of the City Council.

How it all started

Zamboanga International Airport, along with all other international airports in the Philippines, was placed under the control of the Manila International Airport Authority under Executive Order No. 341, signed by President Gloria Arroyo on August 4, 2004.

By December 21, 2007, the Department of Transportation and Communications allotted some P257 million for the improvement of Zamboanga Airport. The national government allotted P15 million for the feasibility study of the new airport project. In November 2008, Asian Development Bank consultants, as well as engineers from Davao City, conducted an ocular inspection at the new airport site.

Earlier, a consortium of international and local investors, offered to construct a modern airport in the city under a build-operate-transfer scheme. The proposal was given to the Air Transportation Office by the consortium of investors from Germany, France, Japan, Guam and the Philippines.

And on October 28, 2008, Zamboanga International Airport Authority finalised that observers and engineers were going to have an ocular inspection on the area’s plan, to see the cost of the project and other prospect details. By March 6, 2009, the DOTC released the feasibility study of Zamboanga International Airport Development Project.

NEDA 

In August 2017, the National Economic and Development Authority revived the airport project after Climaco stated plans to develop a new airport here to replace the old Zamboanga International Airport.  

Mindanao Development Authority Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro reported that the construction of the new Zamboanga International Airport would cost the government around P13.9 billion. The project will feature a new terminal, six jet bridges, and a control tower and will have a 3.4 kilometer runway to accommodate heavier aircraft.

Build, Build, Build 

Manny Piñol, then the head of the Mindanao Development Authority, acknowledged this last year, and said the agency is pushing for the initial construction or completion of the Zamboanga International Airport project before the end of the Duterte presidency.

Piñol also met with Climaco to discuss the airport project, saying, it is among the top priorities of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) under Secretary Arthur Tugade because of Zamboanga’s role in the BIMP-EAGA or Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines – East ASEAN Growth Area. He told Climaco that Tugade pledged to work for the allocation of additional funds for the transfer of the airport to a bigger area.

Land surveys

And just recently, Climaco together with City Administrator Mike Saavedra and OIC Assistant Planning Officer, Jessie Lapinid have inspected the initial survey for the proposed new international airport development project in the east coast.

Government photos show Mayor Beng Climaco and City Administrator Mike Saavedra together with surveyors during an inspection at the proposed area for the new international airport.

The local government and the DOTr also entered into a Memorandum of Agreement for the utilization of the P200 million fund for the proposed project. This was also confirmed by Saavedra to The Zamboanga Post, adding the Land Bank of the Philippines has already issued a notice to proceed for the appraisal of parcels of land affected by the project. 

Saavedra said the project is a priority of the Climaco administration pursuant to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. He said the Zamboanga International Airport has been a major concern of Climaco since she was a member of the City Council, and in Congress, and even donated many colorful baggage trolleys that showcased local culture and heritage.  

Duterte 

Climaco has repeatedly spoken and thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for his commitment to the airport project, and she also praised Tugade and other government agencies involved in the project for their efforts in ensuring that this pushes through. She said Duterte prioritized the Zamboanga International Airport rehabilitation projects following the approval of the P235 million funding included in the P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021.

The mayor said the airport project would be a monumental accomplishment for the people of Zamboanga. Zamboanga is home to one of the busiest airports in Mindanao. The airport serves as the gateway to one of Southeast Asia's fastest growing business and cultural hubs, and to the entire Western Mindanao area, according to DOTr.

“To make this gateway even more efficient and modern, the Aviation and Airports sector of the Department of Transportation has been working at top speed to upgrade and enhance the airport’s facilities, with the array of upgrades that are well underway,” it said. 

The DOTr has constructed the new Malasakit Hall and GAD (Gender and Development) Multipurpose Hall. It also includes the modern and expanded Passenger Terminal Building which can now accommodate 750 passengers at any given time, compared to the previous 500 passenger capacity. Other development projects are currently underway at the airport, including the repair and asphalt overlay of its runway, and the grading of its runway strip.

According to Australia’s CAPA-Centre for Aviation, the Zamboanga International Airport project is another transformational “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure initiative of the Duterte administration that is envisioned to boost the economy of Mindanao with the expected increase in tourist arrivals and heightened local travel. “With its upgrade nearing completion soon, there's no stopping Zamboanga City's Bloom and Boom,” it said. 

Last February, Climaco along with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines formally signed an accord with Asia's Latin City Transport Services Cooperative for additional taxi units. The mayor thanked airport authorities and other stakeholders, saying the taxi service will eliminate overcharging by unscrupulous and independent cabbies. (Zamboanga Post)