Monday, August 13, 2007 ‘Deal with Lucio Tan, not with Arroyo’ By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
TO LOBBY for the retention of the old Bacolod airport even if the new one in Silay will become operational soon is a noble cause.
Yet, Bacolod Lone District Representative Monico Puentevella advised Sunday the group - Retain The Old Airport Movement to better deal with Lucio Tan and not with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
This, as the lawmaker explained that Tan’s Philippine Airlines owns almost 70 percent of the total land area where the old airport stands right now.
“If Mr. Tan agrees that he will retain the old airport for the smaller planes as what the movement wants, then, fine. But if not, then, sorry,” Puentella said, adding that he himself is also even willing to bring the position paper of the group to the attention of President Arroyo.
The Bacolod lawmaker, however, asked, “Where were they eight years ago?”
He is referring to the prime movers of the new movement that include Rodolfo “Babes” Alvarez, Charlie Hagad, Primo Esleyer, Crispin Chua, Alfredo Barcelona, former congressman John Orola, Jr., Alex Espino, Modesto Sa-onoy, among others.
In a press conference Thursday last week, they vowed to seek signatures of the many in Bacolod who wanted to have the old airport be retained even if the new one in Silay will start operations later this year.
This, as they stressed, “We strongly feel that the airport is a vital facility that should be preserved, maintained, and, in fact, eventually upgraded for the following reasons.
Puentevella, however, said the conceptualization of the New Bacolod-Silay Airport was done during the incumbent of deposed president Joseph Estrada, sometime eight years ago.
He said everybody in Bacolod and Negros knew the plan, the project, the location, among other vital data.
And when I and President Arroyo assumed office, everything about the new airport was almost a “done deal”.
So where were they during that time? Puentevella asked.
‘Impossible’
Puentevella also said it would be “impossible” for the group to say to retain the old airport because as soon as the New Bacolod-Silay Airport opens, all air navigational equipment of the Air Transportation Office (ATO) in Bacolod airport will be transferred immediately to Silay City.
“And, as far as I heard that the old air navigational equipment of ATO -Bacolod will also be brought to Kabankalan City for the proposed airport there next year,” he added.
This, as he also disclosed the proposed airport in Kabankalan City is almost approved already and construction will be probably started next year.
Aside from Kabankalan airport, another one is also being mulled in Sipalay.
But initial plan there in Sipalay City is only lease the existing one at the Maricalum Mining Corporation by Teodoro Bernardno.
However, according to the latest development, Bernardino refuses to offer their private airport with the mine site for some valid reasons.
