Thursday, July 28, 2011

New airport terminal ‘needed’

By Elias O. Baquero

Friday, July 29, 2011


It also conducted a second presentation of the feasibility study for the new passenger terminal a building that will cost $180.7 million ($134.6 million for the first phase and US$46.1 million for the second phase).THE Korean International Cooperation Agency (Koica) yesterday presented the preliminary report of the $1.3-million master plan for the Mactan- Cebu International Airport, which will serve as a blueprint for the next 30 years.

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Young Ung Kim, deputy executive director of Incheon International Airport Corp., said the new terminal may be implemented through a build-operate-transfer contract or a joint venture under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) under President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s administration.

According to his presentation, a new passenger terminal is the first step for the Mactan airport to become a major hub.

He said its construction should start this year.

MOA

Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) general manager Nigel Paul Villarete said the existing terminals (domestic and international) were designed for a passenger capacity of five million, when Mactan airport was opened to international traffic 21 years ago.

“Because we are now servicing 5.4 million passengers at Mactan airport, we are now operating at overcapacity,” Villarete said.

MCIAA assistant general manager Romeo Bersonda said the South Korean Government, through Koica, and the MCIAA signed a memorandum of agreement on April 28, 2010 for Koica to conduct a feasibility study for the new terminal.

Bersonda said the first presentation of the initial inputs of the study was presented last January.

The final result of the feasibility study and the master plan will be presented in September.

The final layout of the master plan and the feasibility study are based on economical, feasible and technical aspects.

“The construction of a new international passenger terminal and further development by master planning will ensure the sustainable growth of the Mactan airport and prosperity of local community,” read a portion of the report.

Consensus

Villarete said Koica experts initially came up with their findings on what Cebuanos want the airport to be.

“It is just like asking you what you want to be when you are 30 years old. It’s good to start now because sometimes airport projects like this will take seven years to be realized,” he said.

He invited local officials, businessmen and stakeholders to give their views on the
matter.

Present during the presentation were Undersecretary Aristotle Batuhan of the Department of Transportation and Communication, Provincial Board Member Thadeo Ouano, Emmanuel Rabacal of the Regional Development Council, Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district), Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy, and former congressmen Raul V. del Mar,
among others.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 29, 2011.

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