OFW groups back Bulacan airport

Several groups of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are urging the government to fast- track final negotiations for a new international airport in Bulacan province.

The OFW groups made the appeal in separate letters sent to the Office of the President and Department of Transportation.

“One of our deepest aspirations is to have a world-class airport that we can all be proud of,” one of the letters said.

A total of 14 OFW groups signed petition letters in support of the new airport.

These are Blas F. Ople Policy Center, Integrated Seafarers of the Philippines, OFW Watch, OFW Chamber of Commerce, OFW Council of Leaders-KSA, Kabalikat ng Migranteng Pilipino, Kapisanan ng mga Kamag-anak ng Migranteng Manggagawang Pilipino Inc, LBS Recruitment Solutions Corp., Philippine Association of Migrant Workers and Advocates, Kaibigan ng OCWs, OFW Committee, Zonta Club of Quezon City, United Filipino Seafarers, Ang Kaagapay ng Bawat OFW, Filipino Malaysian Cultural Sports and Workforce Training Program, and the Bulacan Federation of OFW Family Circle Officers.

Bring OFWs home

Susan Ople. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Susan Ople, head of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, said her group wrote its letter as an expression of support not just for the new airport in Bulacan but also for other major infrastructure projects that would create jobs and bring home OFWs.

“Optimism is high that once these critical projects begin, then floodgates for more jobs and potential investments will be flung wide open,” Ople said in a statement.

In the letters, the OFW groups cited these as some of the reasons for their support for the new airport—job creation since the airport construction would take five to six years and no taxpayers’ money would be used.

The New Manila International Airport, as proposed and envisioned by San Miguel Corp., will have a world-class terminal, four runways, a road network, connection to MRT and ferry services.

1M jobs

At least a million jobs were expected to be created during construction stage.

“We look forward to witnessing the completion of not just one but perhaps several new other international airports nationwide within our lifetime,” said Ople.

An environmental group, however, recently expressed wariness about the project.

Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan), in a recent statement, said while the project would generate a million jobs, it would displace the same number of people.

Leon Dulce, Kalikasan national coordinator, said the reclamation component of the project would block floodwater from draining into Manila Bay from river systems in Bulacan and Pampanga provinces. —WITH A REPORT FROM MELVIN GASCON