The New Bacolod-Silay Airport, the second airport of international standards built in Region VI is almost complete and ready for operation. But political leaders in Negros Occidental are at odds on the date of the airports formal inauguration and opening.
In last Friday's (July 13th) Central Philippines Projects Meeting in the new airport, the President repeatedly asked the elected officials who were around about their preferred date but no consensus was ever reached. The new Mayor of Silay City, Mayor Montelibano, would like to open the airport on that same day. Cong. Puentebella of Bacolod City proposed that the airport should not be opened until after the proposed additional 500 meters runway extension is implemented. Other local officials wanted the facility opened as soon as the access road and by-pass road leading to the airport are completed. The President jokingly quipped that the opening may as well be in 2010, the scheduled completion of the rest of the project components.
I remembered a few years back when the construction of the airport was being planned out, Negros officials were at odds where to construct the facility. Now that it is completed and operational, they are again at odds when to open it.
Meanwhile that the formal opening of the new airport is not yet decided upon, government is spending a lot of money for electricity and daily upkeep of the facility. And soon the government will start paying off part of the Php 756.671 Million borrowed from JBIC to construct the airport.
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