TERMINAL and parking area of the Francisco Bangoy International Airport (formerly Davao International Airport) is targeted to be fully developed by the first quarter of 2018, said Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.
During the 4th Davao Investment Conference (Icon) held at the SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang on Friday, July 21, Tugade said they prioritize development of the airport’s air conditioners and comfort rooms.
A total of 37 units of package-type air conditioners was earlier reported to be installed in the airport, 27 of these were already installed on November last year.
Tugade said they are also planning to coordinate and to conduct a dialogue with the city government and current locators in the airport to determine which kind of shops should remain in the premises.
“We are to conduct zoning to decide which kind of shops should be there. The shops should really showcase what Davao really is,” said Tugade.
When asked whether or not the administration looks forward to establishing a new airport instead of just rehabilitating the old one, Tugade said they are not closing any doors for such a possibility to expand the airport to another area which is a lot bigger and wider than the existing airport.
Davao Icon 2017 Chairman and Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. trustee Arturo Milan, for his part, said the existing airport of Davao City only has one runway. By international standards, it has to have at least two in case of any emergency that might occur.
“If we want to really follow the international standard, it has to be really huge and make it an international gateway,” Milan said.
He further stated that there are five areas in Davao Region the Regional Development Council 11 is currently looking at to where the new airport may be located. These areas include Davao City, Samal, Panabo, Tagum, and Malita.
Milan said aside from the distance of these places to Davao City, what should also be considered is the transportation accessibility of the new airport to neighboring cities and how big the land area is going to be.