Governor Sees No Delay in Implementation of Laguindingan Airport Project

Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar M. Moreno says the Laguindingan Airport development project (LAPD) is proceeding as scheduled and there is no reason to believe it will not meet its target operational date of August, 2010.

All things considered, the project is on time and on budget,” Moreno said in an exclusive telephone interview. “Our Korean contractor is now finalizing the bidding documents for the construction and we have identified three qualified contractors to undertake the construction of the access road.”

Moreno said the awarding of the contract for the access road is scheduled this December.

Earlier, Engr. Della Capicenio, LAPD manager, said the P188-million budget for the 4.5 kilometer access road is already part of the line items included by the DOCT for the duration of the construction phase from 2007-2010.

Just a month ago, Sen. Franklin Drilon disclosed the Committee on Finance had approved a multi-year appropriation of P5.385 billion for the construction of the Laguindingan airport.

An international standard airport will definitely give North Central Mindanao the needed economic boost as it opens the region to more investors and tourists ,” Drilon, chairman of the Senate finance committee said.

During the committee hearing on the P17.6 billion budget of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), Drilon said the finance committee approved P946 million for the LAPD in 2007.

Drilon has also asked DOTC Sec. Leandro Mendoza to fast track the acquisition of the additional 98 has. from the Ayala Corporation covering Laguindingan and Alubijid municipalities after it was decided to expand the project to 265 has. from the original 167.

The Laguindingan airport project, financed by a loan from South Korea, will replace the existing Lumbia Airport which serves the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan growth corridor in North Central Mindanao. It is located about 30 kms northwest of Cagayan de Oro City.

Moreno said the deadline for the availment of the US$ 75.4 million airport loan from the South Korean Export-Import Bank (Eximbank) will again have to be extended since it will expire this December. However, he assured this will be a purely procedural matter since it is a “tied-loan”, meaning the amount will only be released on the proviso that a Korean contractor will undertake its construction.

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