Rep. Mercado Claims Panan-awan Airport To Be Fully Developed In 2013
By Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.
Maasin City, Southern Leyte-The Panan-awan Airport or the Maasin Airport located at brgy.Panan-awan,about 15 kilometers away from the city proper, shall be fully-developed by the Dept. of Transportation and Commission(DOTC) sometime in 2013 with additional budget of P200M.
This was the revelation of Southern Leyte lone District Representative Roger G. Mercado during his weekend stay in his hometown here.
He implied that high official of DOTC in Manila has divulged to him about the intended budget allocation for the aforesaid project’s implementation.
During the recent media visit to the airport, works on the concreting of the required 8-lane standard expand pavement was on-going.
The solon told mediamen that the additional 1,200 meters extension for the 2,000 meters runway was already completed, including construction of tarmac where an estimated three to four Fokker planes or smaller passenger airlines can be accommodated as the standby area.
Mercado informed that at a time when the implementation of the airport’s full development would start,a terminal building will be constructed, including radar installation and observation tower.
Series of lights will also be installed on either side of the runway, he said, to guide the pilots on night flights.
However, there were both negative and positive reactions from some constituents on the airport project, due to the fact that the plan to develop it has always been delayed for the past several years.
It was only last year that its improvement has started with more or less P90M budget.
When the airport would become operational in the near future, airborne travelers from Maasin and the neighboring towns, Mercado said, would no longer be going to faraway Tacloban to take the plane bound for Cebu or Manila.”Potential travelers would no longer be spending for transportation fare in going to Tacloban”he said.
Nonetheless, knowledgeable people on the nature of airline operations explained that the availability of a passenger plane to include a Maasin destination would greatly depend on the number of passengers who would come to the airport either for a flight in Cebu, Manila or Mindanao.
The Congressman also intimated he will file a Bill in Congress which will promote rural air transport to the regions with high tourism potentials.
Furthermore, he urged his constituents, particularly the people of Maasin to visit the Panan-awan Airport to see for themselves its current improvement.
On the other hand, a website created by a Samareño had picked up my previously published news article in the LSDE concerning the abovementioned airport’s first phase of improvement.
A unanimous internet user who was able to read that piece posted a negative comment saying that “nothing would happen to this airport”.
Nevertheless, his pessimistic prediction may not find fulfillment due to the changes of perceptions nowadays. Since the 10-year-old city of Maasin has now gradually progressing.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)
Postcript: This is a kind of phenomenon where nature is adjusting to nature. At Congressman Roger G.Mercado’s properties in brgy.Bugo,Maasin City ,which is about two kilometers away from the highway in brgy.Mambajao,four mahogany trees planted along the edge of a lot on a hill, have expanded its roots to form into walls apparently to prevent the soil from sliding down(soil erosion).Looking it on the side of human aspect of things, an individual who possesses an altruistic concern towards his fellowman would extend a compassionate hand to prevent him from falling down into a dangerous trap.
Insights & Travels (Qatar Airlines Appointed
Travel Agency) by Esperanza L.Samaco,Tel no.
(053)381-2527.Services Offer: Boat Tickets,
Airline Tickets, Package Tour. Located between
Abiera Museum of Arts and Natasha Service Center.
A.Bantug St., Tunga-Tunga, Maasin City, So.Leyte
Systems Technology Institute(STI)-Maasin,
4th Floor, Zialcita-Oppus Bldg.,
Above Mercury Drug, Maasin City, Southern Leyte.
.Courses Offer: Information Technology, Computer and
Electronic Technology, Hotel and Restaurant Services,
Travel and Tourism. For more information call telephone
Number (053) 381-3744.
No comments:
Post a Comment