GMA releases P130 million for Vigan airport expansion

By Teddy Molina

VIGAN CITY – President Arroyo released P130 million last week paving the way for the start of construction work for the expansion of the Vigan airport to make it accessible to commercial and international flights, the office of Rep. Ronald Singson (lst district, Ilocos Sur) said last week.

Singson who had included the airport’s improvement among his priorities upon his election last year had earlier teamed up with Deputy Speaker Eric Singson (2nd district, Ilocos Sur) for the inclusion of P250 million in the national budget for the airport project.

The congressional fund initiative was made part of the 2008 budget of the Department of Transportation and Communications which was meant to be dispensed this year and next year.
With P130-million now released, the balance of P120-million will be due next year.

Local officials led by Ilocos Sur Gov. Deogracias Victor “DV” Savellano and Vigan Mayor Eva Medina said the airport was the key in bringing Ilocos Sur closer to the rest of the world and unlock the tourism, business, and trade potentials of the city and province.

In its present condition, however, only small planes and company-owned light aircraft are using it.

Rep. Ronald Singson’s father Deputy National Security Adviser Luis “Chavit” Singson had earlier envisioned the need to expand the airport during his term as governor to boost business and economic activities.

The former governor took note of Ilocos Sur’s proximity to China saying the province should prepare to be able to cash-in on the spill-over effect of the economic boom in the Chinese continent.

A former provincial board member, Ronald Singson said the airport project was urgent saying Vigan is a top location in the tourism world map chiefly due to its highly acknowledged community of centuries-old ancestral houses.

The well-preserved buildings that are still habitable had withstood the rigors of time earning for Vigan their inscription as World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

“But international flights could not make it here,” he said, adding the “lost opportunity” would have otherwise benefited the city and his constituents in terms of income had Vigan been accessible to tourists by air.

Medina, Vice Mayor Francisco Ranches Jr. and local tourism councils joined hands with Chavit, Savellano, and Rep. Singson in looking for ways leading to the airport’s upgrading.

With the impending expansion of the airport, the first district congressman expects foreign visitors to come in droves perking up the sluggish growth in local tourism.

Savellano also cited the Vigan airport’s potential for increased trade and commerce with makers of the province’s noted products as beneficiaries.

Ilocos Sur’s furniture products, native food, and hand-woven fabrics topped the list of products sold during a regional trade festival held in Manila recently.