Zamboanga Solon To Push For Immediate Airport Repair

A huge U.S. military cargo plane sits on the runway of the Zamboanga International Airport. Runway 27 is dilapidated and needs urgent repairs, officials say. (Zamboanga Journal)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Bong Garcia / 03 Jan) Zamboanga City Rep. Erico Basilio Fabian announced Tuesday that the repair of the dilapidated runway of the Zamboanga International Airport (ZIA) will be one of his top priority programs for this year.

Fabian made the statement after learning from the Air Transportation Office (ATO) manager Celso Bayabos that Runway 27 needs an immediate and major repair.

Fabian said he would immediately make the necessary representation with Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secy. Leandro Mendoza for the urgent repair of the runway once Congress’ regular session resumes this month.

“I will personally take this matter up with DOTC Secy. Leandro Mendoza when I get back to Manila for our regular session,” he said in a phone interview.

Bayabos earlier said that his office needs P20million to P30 million for the major repair of the Runway 27. He said at least 900 meters of the Runway 27 needs asphalt overlay to cover potholes and small craters that developed through time.

He recommended the repair after noticing the dilapidated runway shortly after he assumed as head of the local ATO almost six months ago.

Bayabos said he requested funding from the ATO Central Office for the emergency purchase of 200 pales of cold-mix asphalt for the runway repair, but the funding was only released last month.

He lamented that when the funding arrived, the potholes have become biggers and the runway already deteriorated. Worst, only half of the original fund was released to the local ATO.

Bayabos said there is an urgent need to rehabilitate not only the Runway 27, but the 2,600-meter ZIA runway to meet international safety standards. The runway stretches from Barangay San Roque to Barangay Sta. Maria, where the military's Edwin Andrews Air Base is located.

Fabian said the poor condition of Runway 27 poses danger to aircrafts taking off and landing at the airport.

Three major airline companies -- the Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines and the Cebu-Pacific, have daily regular flights here from Manila and other major cities like Cebu and Davao. Another passenger airliner, the Sea Air, also regularly flies from Zamboanga City to Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia.

Philippine and foreign military and private aircrafts also use the runway.

Fabian said the dilapidated condition of the runway may put in jeopardy the effort of the Zamboanga City government to boost the local tourism industry, as airliners may discourage to maintain their number of regular flights here.

Bayabos said they have already issued notice to all pilots to exercise extreme caution during take-off and landing at the ZIA to avoid accident.

He said that flight safety engineers from the Philippine Airlines and Cebu-Pacific, along with ATO representatives from Manila, recently inspected the airport facilities and saw the need for the repair of the Runway 27. (Zamboanga reporter Bong Garcia writes for the Minda News)