(UPDATED) Plans of reviving and expanding the operation of the Mati City airport, initially eyed to start early 2020, might be delayed due to the continuing threat of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Mati City Mayor Michelle Rabat, in a One Davao on Covid-19 virtual presser, said that talks on the Mati airport expansion will be put on hold while ongoing restriction due to the Covid-19 restriction.
Rabat said the revival of the airport is already pipelined for implementation.
Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang said in his State of the Province Address during the 52nd founding anniversary program of the province on July 1, 2019, he will sign “in a few days” an executive order to create a task force to fast track the old airport’s revival.
Dayanghirang said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) allocated P200 million for the project. He said the budget will be used for the rehabilitation and construction of the runway, fencing, and continuation of the terminal building.
"We believe that the reopening of the Mati airport will bring better opportunities for the development of the province’s economy,” the Governor said.
Rabat, meanwhile, said the budget is still intact, based on their latest update.
The Mati mayor said they will resume talks once the quarantine restrictions will be lifted "because we will be needing this eventually not only for tourism but more also for food trading."
She said they had already laid down more socio-economic plans once the airport will fully commence.
The Mati Airport formerly known as Imelda R. Marcos Airport located in Barangay Dahican was constructed back in the 70s, under the administration of the late President Ferdinand Marcos. Two families own the properties occupied by the Mati airport. Its terminal and apron sit on the land owned by the Rabats while the 1,628.85-meter runway is located in a property owned by the Rocamoras.
Rabat earlier said she will make the operations of Mati airport a priority under her administration.
Aside from the airport, she also said that other infrastructures such as the seaport and overland transport terminals should be operational following the lifting of Covid-19.
Davao Oriental, where Mati City is a part of, is a province with well-known tourist destinations such as the Unesco World Heritage Site Mt. Hamiguitan, and Aliwagwag. In Mati, tourists visit the famous Dahican Beach, Sleeping Dinosaur and Subangan Museum.
The province has recorded some 800,000 tourists in 2018 and for the first quarter of 2019, tourism arrivals reached around 400,000 tourists.
But due to the Covid-19, the mayor already expected a decline in the city and the province's tourist arrivals.