Kabankalan airport gets P120M additional funding

Mayor Pedro Zayco of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Mayor Pedro Zayco of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental said the construction of the 1.3-kilometer Kabankalan City airport runway got an additional funding of P120 million from the Department of Transportation.

Zayco said that the first phase of the Kabankalan runway concreting, with a budget of P30 million and covers 217 meters, has already been completed. This phase was funded by the administration of former Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr.

The second phase, which covers 290 meters and has a budget of P40 million allocated by the Kabankalan City government, is expected to be completed next month

Zayco also said that the contractor, who won the initial P30 million bidding, has already started the runway concreting in the opposite side.

He said the bidding for the remaining P90 million allocation will start in the first quarter of the year.

The 1.3-kilometer airport runway can accommodate a 70-seater turboprop passenger plane and other light aircrafts.

As far as the airport terminal and taxiway is concerned Zayco said Rep. Genaro Alvarez Jr. (Neg. Occ., 6th District) promised to look for funds, as they are also eyeing to purchase additional lots as taxiway for planes.

The 105-hectare airport the development is financed by the city government of Kabankalan that started in 2007.