Bacolod City – The Kabankalan City Airport is up for a runway extension of 600 meters to accommodate larger aircraft, as required by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, disclosed over-the-weekend by Mayor Benjie Miranda.
In a dialog with representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Department of Transportation and Negros Occidental 6th district Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, Miranda said that an amount of P850 million is still needed for the completion of the Kabankalan Airport, which now has an existing runway of 1,400 meters.
The development of the 104-hectare airport located in Brgy. Hilamonan, Kabankalan City, started in 2007.
To extend the runway, Miranda said they have to relocate about 100 settler-families who already encroached the airport area.
The city government of Kabankalan earmarks P10 million annually for airport development, on top of P40 million allocated funds, which are yet to be used, he added.
Alvarez, who filed a bill for the establishment of the Kabankalan Airport, earlier said that she is lobbying for additional funds from the DOTr and CAAP for the airport completion.
The additional funds will cover expenses for the airport apron and terminal building, the solon added.
Miranda also revealed that a one-hectare lot within Brgy. Hilamonan was donated for the relocation site of affected settlers, who registered no opposition to their transfer, as long as they will be helped.
He further said that the city government also received letters of intent from two companies to establish flying schools within the Kabankalan City airport. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)