Worth P700 million
CALBAYOG CITY- The redevelopment of the Calbayog City Airport is expected to start within next few weeks.
This after a notice of award was issued by the Department of Transportation(DoTr) to the winning bidder of the project that is worth P445 million.
Deorico Ellima, officer-in-charge of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP)-Calbayog, disclosed that the notice of award was already issued to the Unimasters Conglomeration, Inc. last January, paving the way for the project to commence.
It was learned from Ellima that the government was able to save about P70 million as the winning contractor claimed that the project could be done within the cost of P386.55 million
“Representatives from Unimasters Conglomeration, Inc. already visited our airport and said that they are targeting to start the construction this month of February,” Ellima said.
“In fact at least two heavy equipment of the construction firm is already at the airport vicinity which only proves that the project implementation will about to start,” the CAAP official added.
The works improvement of the Calbayog City Airport will involve construction of new terminal building, apron, taxiway, drainage system and site development.
Ellima also said that a notice to proceed order dated February 13 was issued by DoTr to RSP & Co. Inc. – BM Marketing for the project implementation of the widening of runway including shoulder grade correction and runway asphalt overlay.
Said project has an approved budget of about P255.8 million.
The Calbayog City Airport, which has a twice a day flights for Manila and Cebu, being serving considered as a possible alternate airport to the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban City, considered the region’s premier airport, in case of emergency.
“We are hoping that said projects will commence and ends on time as stipulated in the contract,” Ellima said.
The Calbayog City Airport development project was approved and funded under the General Appropriations Act during the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III but was only bid out under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Meanwhile, Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento (1st dist) said that the improvement of the airport will be a big development not only for Calbayog but to the rest of the province.
“The development of our airport will have a great impact not only to the city of Calbayog but to the entire province of Samar, and neighboring provinces as well,” Sarmiento said.
“This will further boost our economy and tourism industry as this will encourage more investors to do business in our city and in our province, and attract more tourists to visit here,” he added.
(JENNIFER SUMAGANG-ALLEGADO)
