THE Cordillera Regional Development Council (RDC) approved a resolution reiterating the council’s request for the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to conduct an aeronautic study for the Baguio Loakan airport to ascertain its viability for commercial operations once fully upgraded.
Despite repeated appeals for the modernization of the Loakan airport, the RDC-Cordillera pointed out it was not included in the priority aerodromes to be rehabilitated by the previous and present administrations, thus, the need to reiterate the said concern to the CAAP and the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).
Earlier, the council passed Resolution 33, which adopted the study on advancing the Baguio airport modernization program and appealing to the former DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and CAAP Director-General William Hotchkiss III to support the full rehabilitation and modernization of the airport facilities.
The RDC-Cordillera Executive Committee also approved Resolution 45, series of 2013 which requested Abaya to include Baguio airport modernization program, phase I, in the 2015 DOTC infrastructure program.
The newly approved resolution stated a study commissioned by the RDC-Cordillera in 20112 on the modernization of the Loakan airport recommended several projects for the rehabilitation and modernization of the facility, namely, site acquisition and construction of access road at runway 09, aeronautical survey, airfield lighting system, perimeter fencing and runway widening.
The council recognizes the Loakan airport as a vital facility for the Cordillera Administrative Region which is the only landlocked region in the country as it will be the primary air transport facility that will contribute in spurring local economic growth region wide.
It will be recalled that the Baguio airport, had been serving commercial flights since 1941 but stopped in 2011 mainly because of low passenger demand and high plane fares, received minimal support for its maintenance and the improvement of the facilities. (PR)