Wednesday, September 05, 2007 Pablo John files proposal to change MCIAA charter
REP. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district) has filed a bill to amend the charter of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA).
This is the second such bill to be filed, but Garcia said that unlike the one Cebu City Rep. Raul del Mar proposed, his initiative goes beyond tackling the membership of the MCIAA board.
In House Bill 2310, Garcia includes tax exemptions and clarifies the recurring impasse on whether the appointment of MCIAA general manager should go through existing Civil Service Commission (CSC) rules and procedures.
Garcia believes that Republic Act 6958 or the MCIAA Charter must be amended to “further empower the MCIAA and enable it to respond to the demands and challenges of growth.”
Increasing traffic
“Today, the Mactan airport is the busiest facility outside Metro Manila, with the most air linkages to any point in the Philippines and the most direct flights to and from various destinations in Asia,” read the bill’s explanatory note.
“With the Province of Cebu consistently getting more than half of tourist arrivals in the Philippines and its share increasing yearly, traffic (there) is expected to increase considerably in the next few years,” Garcia added.
Tourism Secretary Ace Durano earlier stressed the need to expand the airport because of the influx of tourists.
In his proposal, Garcia said due recognition must be given to the host city, Lapu-Lapu, and its newly acquired status as highly urbanized city. This provision is also included in the bill del Mar earlier filed.
CSC issue
The bill also specifically states that the appointment of MCIAA general manager “shall not be subject to any qualification standards, rules or regulations of, or review by, the Civil Service Commission.”
If approved, this amendment will end the years-long issue on CSC qualifications, which has hounded several MCIAA general managers.
Garcia explained that the position is “essentially highly technical, if not extremely confidential.”
On the matter of taxes, Garcia specified in his proposed amendment that the authority “shall be exempt from any and all real estate taxes imposed by the National Government or any of its branches, agencies and instrumentalities as well as by any local government unit.”
The issue on real property taxes is also one that MCIAA and the Lapu-Lapu City Government have fought legally. (JPM)
