The Philippine government plans to spend more than P100 billion over the next five years to expand and modernize the country’s airports.
Transportation Undersecretary Rene Limcaoco, in a presentation at a forum sponsored by the Embassy of the United Kingdom, said the government plans to spend P109.63 billion on modernization programs that will propel local airports into the “jet age” and boost tourism.
These projects include the expansion and modernization of key gateways at a cost of P53.47 billion and secondary gateways at a cost of P48.18 billion. Other projects include the conversion of old airports into “jet-capable” facilities, which requires funding of P5.98 billion, and implementation of other airport priorities, which needs P2 billion in funds.
Most of the country’s airports were built in the 1960s and can only accommodate old turbo-propelled aircraft, Limcaoco pointed out.
He added that the “cost of operating a turbo prop is 50 percent higher than that of operating jets,” and that this situation presents “obstacles to lower fares” and to “an expanded aviation industry.”
He also presented to British investors a list of public-private partnership projects in the aviation sector, including the expansion, operation, and maintenance of these airports: Laguindingan Airport (P2.26 billion), New Bohol Airport (P4.57 billion), Puerto Princesa Airport (P5.81 billion), Davao Airport (P5.88 billion), and Bacolod Airport (P3.61 billion).
Mass transport projects
Meanwhile, Limcaoco said the government also plans to increase ridership of mass rail transit from around 6% at present to 17% to 18% by expanding existing rail lines and building additional lines.
These rail transit projects include the P64.9-billion LRT1 Cavite Extension Project recently awarded to the Light Rail Manila consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and Ayala Corp.; the P69.3-billion MRT7; the P9.5-billion LRT2 Extension to Masinag; P1.35-billion Mass Transit System Loop; and P69.87-billion North-South Commuter Rail.
Including the Pasig River Ferry, Limcaoco said these new rail projects will bring the country’s daily ridership up from the current 1.2 million passengers per day to 3 million a day.
Other transportation projects presented at the forum included the P17.5-billion Davao Sasa port project, P19.3-billion Motor Vehicle Inspection System, P4-billion Integrated Transport System-South terminal; and the P2.5 billion ITS-Southwest terminal. – Roumina Pablo
Image courtesy of potowizard at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
