MANILA, Philippines – Inatasan ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) ang Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) na maglaan ng hindi bababa sa ₱200 milyon hanggang ₱300 milyon upang maresolba ang isyu sa transmission lines ng National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) na nakaaapekto sa operasyon ng Bicol International Airport (BIA).
Ayon kay Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez, ibinigay niya ang kautusan kasunod ng direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na i-maximize ang operasyon ng paliparan.
Sinabi ni Lopez na bagama’t may 2,500-metrong runway ang BIA, 1,900 hanggang 2,000 metro lamang ang nagagamit dahil sa sagabal ng mga transmission line.
“The length of Bicol International Airport’s runway is more or less 2,500 meters. It’s a very good runway, it has more than enough length to accommodate jet operations. This will help lower airfare prices for flights coming into our airport,” ani Lopez.
Dagdag pa niya, “The only remaining problem is funding. I’ve already spoken with the CAAP and asked them to set aside P200 million to P300 million, which is needed to lower the height of transmission lines that limit runway operations. Hopefully, we can do it within the year.”
Kapag nalutas na ang isyu sa transmission lines, maaari nang tumanggap ng international flights ang Bicol International Airport, ayon sa DOTr.
Inihayag din ng ahensya na may nilagdaan nang memorandum of agreement ang DOTr, CAAP, at NGCP upang maresolba ang naturang problema. RNT/MND
