Solon calls to fast-track airport completion for tourists, businesses

President Benigno Aquino III leads the final inspection of Laguindingan Airport in Barangay San Isidro, Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental, in June 11, 2013. MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU

MANILA, Philippines – A lawmaker has called on the national government for the completion of Laguindingan International Airport in Misamis Oriental in a bid to attract tourists and investors.

Misamis Oriental 2^nd district Representative Juliette Uy, in a statement sent to media, said the delay in the installation of the airport’s navigation instruments and construction of surrounding road infrastructure has become a serious let-down to businesses in the province.

“Hotel, restaurant and resort owners are complaining of lowered earnings due to the lesser flights to and from the province. Without a VHF Omni-Directional Range Navigation System, Meteorological Observing System, and Precision Lighting System, the CAAP cannot allow night flights,” Uy said.

She said slight weather disturbances also cause flight cancellations in the airport because of the lack of said instruments.

“We were made to understand that the navigational aids will arrive no later than May 2014. Sadly though, this is not acceptable to many sectors of the province,” Uy said.

The legislator appealed to the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to fast-track the installation of navigational aid, in addition to the airport’s Instrument Landing System (ILS).

Uy said Laguindingan Airport is safer than the old Lumbia or Cagayan de Oro Airport, which it eventually replaced in June 2013, because of the former’s ILS. However, without the additional navigational aids, Laguindingan Airport can only have 18 flights per day unlike Lumbia’s maximum of 26 flights.

The solon said there are also requests for road widening in nearby areas to facilitate faster traffic flow to and from the airport.

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