Friday, December 28, 2007 Oro lawmaker to help fund airport By Lizanilla J. Amarga
TWO congressmen from Cagayan de Oro's two districts were requested by the City Council to pour some of their pork barrel funds to make Lumbia Domestic Airport an "international port of entry."
During their regular session Thursday, opposition City Councilor Teodulfo Lao pushed the approval of a Proposed Ordinance 2007-258 requesting Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez to help upgrade the Lumbia Domestic Airport located at Barangay Lumbia this city.
Lao recounted how Rodriguez, a former Bureau of Immigration (BID) chief, was told of how a number of foreign tourists and investors are interested in coming to Cagayan de Oro City even for an overnight stay.
However, the Lumbia Domestic Airport's runway needs to be extended by 500 meters and that it currently does not have a local extension office of the BID that would cater to these foreigners' various needs.
Rodriguez in consultation with Air Transportation Office (ATO) officers, embassy officials, and the incumbent Immigration secretary said he is willing to pour out his own congressional funds for the extension of the Lumbia runway.
The Immigration Secretary assured him that a BID extension office will be put up in our Lumbia airport.
Lao recounted how Rodriguez was told that the construction of the Laguindingan International Airport at Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental will still take around 10 years to finish and become fully operational.
He said the City Government should not wait for 10 years to bring in more foreigners to be tourists or investors or both for Cagayan de Oro City.
Lao replied that the DOTC-ATO has already discussed with Rodriguez the amount that would be involved for the 500-meter extension of the Lumbia airport runway as well as the putting up of lighting facilities among others.
City Councilor Alden Bacal for his part did not object to Lao's proposed ordinance, however, surprisingly asked that a study be conducted first as to the viability of putting up another international airport.
But Goking answered that there is no need for a project study considering that international airports "can be extended even up to the mountains."
Minority Floor Leader City Councilor Zaldy Ocon lauded the proposed ordinance.
He said Cagayan de Oro First District Representative Rolando Uy should also be told to bankroll the Lumbia airport upgrade to international standards since the airport is part of the first district.
Former city planning and development officer now City Coucilor Maning Abejuela inquired whether the proposal to the customs and immigration offices at Lumbia airport would be transferred to Laguindingan International Airport once the latter is fully operational.
Lao said the Lumbia international airport will become a "secondary airport" once the Laguindingan International Airport is in full swing.
Goking said there is not much of an argument on this matter of putting a customs and immigration office at Lumbia Airport considering that the project of extending the airport's runway is already a huge help to not just the foreigners but to city residents.
"Our Lumbia airport really needs to be rehabilitated," he said. The ordinance was thus approved unanimously.
