Northern Mindanao international airport now 65% complete

MISAMIS ORIENTAL, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / May 28, 2010) - The construction of the P7.853 billion (US$167.09 million) international-standard airport in Misamis Oriental's Laguindingan town breached the 65 percent completion rate on track to the target completion rate of 72.07% by the time the present administration’s term expires on June 30.

The airport dubbed Laguindingan International Airport is set for completion on the last month of next year and will operate on the first month of 2012.

Engineer Ryan Gico, engineer III, Laguindingan Airport Development Project Project Management Office, said that civil works and buildings construction is already 65% complete as of May 14.

“We have already reached, as of May 14, a 65 percent completion rate of the airport’s civil works,” he said, adding, other requirements for the full operation of airport such as access road was completed last January 2010.

“Land acquisition for the main airport area is 99.24 percent accomplished with 390.95 hectares already acquired,” he said.

The main airport, he said, requires 393.94 hectares of land.

According to Gico, the occupants of the land on the airport site have already been relocated to brand new houses. Each family were also given relocation fees.

He said 370 families have been relocated: 134 families at Phase 1 resettlement site in San Isidro village and 236 families at Phase 2 resettlement site in Tubajon village.

Gico said the Department of Transportation and Communication is now acquiring the needed navigation facilities/equipment component of the project.

Funds for their acquisition are provided by the Korean Export-Import Bank through a loan, he added.

The Laguindingan International Airport sits on a 4.17 square kilometer site in Laguindingan's Moog village. It is located 46 kilometers from the existing Lumbia Airport in neighboring Cagayan de Oro City.

Once completed, it will be the fourth International airport in Mindanao, after Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City; Zamboanga International Airport in Zamboanga City; and General Santos International Airport in General Santos City.

It will also have the distinction of being the first International airport in Northern Mindanao.

The Laguindingan International Airport is the flagship project of the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Corridor Special Development Project, which covers both cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, as well as five coastal towns in Lanao del Norte and twenty-two towns of Misamis Oriental’s first and second congressional districts.

The airport will primarily replace the existing Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro City and it also expected to replace Maria Cristina Airport in Iligan City.

A five-person team from the Economic Development Cooperation Fund appraisal mission on LADP-Air Navigation Aid System Supply Project recentl visited Northern Mindanao for a site survey and to conduct fact-finding activities for the sub-project.

The team visited the Lumbia Airport Control Tower in Cagayan de Oro City to appraise the air navigation system equipment there. (Bong Fabe)