DAVAO CITY – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) through the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap)), is set to implement the expansion of the Francisco Bangoy International Airport or the Davao International Airport (DIA) in Davao City.
This was revealed Wednesday by Caap-Davao City area manager Agnes Udang, saying that the expansion will address the increasing number of travelers from Davao City. “Definitely we will expand. This is because we noticed that there is an increase of total number of passengers here as compared the previous years,” she said in an interview.
According to Udang, the expansion will include an additional bay to accommodate one boarding bridge.
The planned expansion would address the clamor for a bigger airport terminal by the tourism sector. The tourism and business sector even clamored for the creation of the Davao International Airport Authority.
Davao City Tourism Operations Office head Generose Tecson earlier said that the improvement and rehabilitation of the Davao airport will be more immediate once the Davao International Airport Authority is established.
“Caap is doing what it can with whatever funds it has. If a Davao International Airport Authority is created, there will be cash back-ups,” Tecson said.
She added that improvement of the airport will bring a good impression for Davao City as a whole.
For his part, Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. president Ronald Go said a modern airport with functioning facilities makes a guest feel upbeat right away.
“The creation of a Davao International Airport Authority is definitely a welcome development. With a government-owned and -controlled corporation focused on improving the facilities and services at the Davao airport, this bodes well for the tourism sector initially and augurs well eventually in attracting businessmen to our city,” said Go.
Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel of PDP-Laban recently re-filed the bill calling for the creation of the authority. He is also a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Mindanao affairs.
The bill has been waiting for approval since the 16th Congress. It has been revived in the 17th Congress with the support of Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri and Deputy Speaker and Davao City Second District Representative Mylene Garcia-Albano.
