• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Returning First District Rep. Julio Ledesma IV will be pushing for the establishment of another airport in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.
Ledesma, who was proclaimed on Wednesday as the winner of the Negros Occidental 1st district congressional seat, revealed that his family donated 50-hectares of land to the San Carlos City government, as the site of a proposed airport in 1998, during his first term as congressman.
While the master development of the proposed airport was made in Singapore, Ledesma admitted he does not know why the succeeding administrations did not act on it, stressing that all the needed documents and requirements prescribed by the Air Transportation Office and Civil Aeronautics Board, have been complied with.
Ledesma, who served as representative of the Negros Occidental 1st district for 18 years, admitted that he had talks and backdoor negotiations with the Department of Transportation, before he disclosed his plans to pursue the airport project in the 20th Congress.
The solon is optimistic that it could get a budget for it in the 2027 National Expenditure Program.
Mayor Renato Gustilo, who also witnessed the proclamation of Ledesma as the representative of the 1st district to the Lower House, said it is a dream of San Carlos City to have an airport, which would boost the economy of San Carlos City.
Re-elected 6th district Representative Mercedes Alvarez is also pushing for the completion of the Kabankalan City Domestic Airport, a project she considers crucial for economic development and tourism in Negros Occidental.
Alvarez has filed House Bill 2771, which aims to establish the Kabankalan airport, and is seeking additional funding to finalize its construction.
The airport, located in Barangay Hilamonan, Kabankalan City is envisioned to include both cargo and passenger terminals, a control tower, and loading and navigation systems, with an initial runway of over 1,300 meters.
As to the additional budget for Kabankalan airport under her sponsored bill, Alvarez said it will depend on the DOTr and Civil Aviation and Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
Alvarez said she is hopeful that the Committee on Transportation in the 20th Congress will take up the Kabankalan Airport bill.
On the other hand, the CAAP has allocated an additional budget of P205 million for the expansion of the Bacolod-Silay Airport terminal in Negros Occidental.*
