The President also mentioned the causeway project
TACLOBAN CITY – President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. has committed to completing the modernization work of the Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport by 2026, two years before the end of his term.
The President made this commitment during his visit to Palo, Leyte, on Thursday, July 4.
Top officials of Leyte, including Governor Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla and members of Congress led by House Speaker Martin Romualdez (1st District), were present to welcome him.
“I also want to announce the progress of some of our projects that will bring change to our area. One of these is the ongoing renovation of Tacloban Airport, which costs over P2.5 billion,” the President said in his speech.
“We aim to complete this by 2026, bringing better and faster service to our people,” he added. He also mentioned that the airport’s new terminal building could be inaugurated as early as next year.
The modernization of DZR Airport, the premier airport of Eastern Visayas which suffered extensive damage when Super Typhoon Yolanda hit Tacloban on November 9, 2013, has long been in the pipeline.
The plan started during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Currently, DZR Airport caters to the Tacloban-Cebu and Tacloban-Manila routes with over 20 daily flights.
Besides the DZR Airport, the President also highlighted the ongoing causeway project in the city, which will serve as an alternate road to the airport.
The causeway project, costing P4 billion, spans 2.5 kilometers from Magsaysay Boulevard to San Jose district, where the airport is located, and will reduce travel time to about 10 minutes.
The causeway will include a four-lane road embankment that spans 2.56 kilometers with a bridge at the center.
It will also have bike lanes, concrete canals, sidewalks, and wave deflectors on both sides.
Currently, passengers endure a 45-minute drive from the city center to the airport.
The project, which started in February last year, is expected to be completed by 2025.
JOEY A. GABIETA
