Bicol International Airport is likely to start operations before the end of the year, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said Friday after inspecting the facility.
Tugade has already ordered the 24/7 construction of the Bicol International Airport in Daraga, Albay. Secretary Tugade announced this after the onsite inspection conducted at the BIA this morning.
Among the official visits were two project packages for the BIA.
Package 2A covering the construction of landslide facilities, site development and other buildings is at 94.40 percent complete and is expected to be completed this month.
Package 2B, which covers the construction of the Passenger Terminal Building, runway extension, taxiway, drainage, and other site development works, is currently at a 68.14 percent completion rate, Tugade said.
“Ang plano ho namin dito ‘yung actual na konstruksiyon, ‘yung pisikal na konstruksiyon matapos ng buwan ng Hunyo at Hulyo itong taon na to. Hangarin po namin na pag natapos ang actual at pisikal na konstruksiyon, maging operational ito by December,” said Tugade.
“Makikita niyo na marami pa ang tatapusin, ang gagawin po namin itutuloy-tuloy po namin ang tinatawag na 24/7 construction,” the official added.
Bicol International Airport is likely to open in December: Tugade
COVID-19 remained a threat affecting the overall state of air transport in the country. But according to Tugade, the Bicol International Airport can still be open despite the pandemic.
” Alam mo naman na ang pag-operate ng paliparan sa oras ng pandemya, regulated po ‘yan ng IATF na kung saan babalansehin natin yung pangangailangan ng health protocols ika nga saka ‘yung buhay ng ekonomiya,” said Tugade.
‘Yung katanungang pwede bang mabuhay ang operasyon ng ating paliparan sa panahon ng pandemya, opo. Balansiyado po yan ayon sa panuntunan ng local government at IATF,” he added.
Secretary Tugade also visited the proposed site where the PNR station will be built in Daraga town as part of the PNR Project from Manila to Bicol.
The airport is located in Daraga, an adjacent city of Legazpi. The ₱3.5 billion project is on a 200-hectare plateau 15 kilometers from Mayon Volcano.
Once opened, it will handle an estimated 2.2 million passengers every year.
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