DOTr chief wants to fasttrack completion of airport projects

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade has ordered the acceleration of the completion of all ongoing airport development projects, as well as enhance security protocols across all gateways nationwide.

Tugade met with aviation and airports sector officials on Wednesday and ordered them to provide expedited timelines for the swift completion of all ongoing airport projects, including the Bicol International Airport, Kalibo International Airport, Bohol-Panglao International Airport, Surigao Airport, and Antique Airport among others.

To ensure that ongoing airport infrastructure projects are well within schedule, Tugade recommended dividing the monitoring of projects to various officials namely, Transportation Undersecretary for aviation and airports Manuel Antonio Tamayo, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) director general Jim Sydiongco, CAAP director general for operations Donaldo Mendoza, and CAAP deputy director general for administration Ricardo Banayat.

The transportation chief directed airport officials to strictly monitor the completion of repair works at the Bohol-Panglao International Airport and the terminal expansion of the Kalibo International Airport.

Tugade also called for the resolution of flooding concerns at the Sangley Airport, as well as ensure the military air base’s augmented operationalization by October, ahead of the deadline set by President Duterte.

Meanwhile, Tugade also ordered all airport authorities to replicate the security protocols applied by the Manila International Airport Authority at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to all gateways nationwide.

The order comes following the recent lifting of the public notice on security conditions issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on NAIA.

“As we savor the lifting of the adverse USA notice on MIAA, let us be reminded that we must strengthen our resolve to be more vigilant and ever conscious on the need to be secure and safe, considering the continuing threat of terrorism, lawlessness, and drugs. Security is a never-ending process, it is a commitment. Everything we do at MIAA must be replicated and done in all our airports, wherever located and of whatever class,” he said.

Tugade emphasized that there should be no exemptions on security checks, regardless of the individual’s position in government and society.