THE Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will fund the runway, lighting and navigational facilities of the New Bohol Airport (NBA) – the new name of the Panglao Bohol International Airport. Rep. Erico Aumentado (2 nd District, Bohol) bared this during his radio program over radio station dyTR broadcasting from Tagbilaran City. Aumentado said Director for Policy and Programs Francisco Lucban of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) confirmed this to him in a recent meeting in Quezon City. He said Lucban is tasked to focus on the airport project – to ensure, among others, that those involved in its implementation will meet timelines this time. The solon said the magnitude of the project apparently made JICA decide to invest funds in it. After all, the project is not just for Bohol's 1 st District or of the provincial government but of the entire Central Visayas, he explained.

Once operational, he said, the NBA will be the nearest alternate airport to the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA). This means if trouble brews at MCIA, zero visibility included, flights can always be diverted to the NBA. With this development, Aumentado said he is readying a copy of the Panglao Island Master Plan prepared by Palafox and Associates for submission tomorrow as requested by JICA. Lucban had also requested for a copy of the list of lot owners of the area identified for the latest runway orientation – the one oriented to Barangay Danao in Panglao instead of the Alona beach row. Aumentado said Lucban needs the copy for counterchecking before finalizing the barter arrangement preferred by some lot owners who have balked at the idea of totally giving up their properties in the resort island of Panglao. To note, in the combined nine years of the administrations of former Governors David Tirol and Rene Relampagos when the buying of lots began, they managed to purchase 25 hectares only for the runway,

With the re-orientation of the runway, part of the lots bought earlier will already be outside the present runway and would therefore be available for barter, he said. Under Aumentado's unprecedented three consecutive terms as governor spanning nine years, the provincial government was able to buy and consolidate some 180 to 190 hectares for the present runway. On top of this, the solon said plans are also afoot for DOTC to revive the Panglao airport Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) which he used to chair. Representatives of the local government units involved will sit in the task force – Gov. Edgardo Chatto for the province, Mayor Benedicto Alcala of Panglao and Mayor Jaime Jimenez of Dauis. The task force will see to it that requirements are readily complied with for the earlier implementation of the project. The earning components of the airport will be open to public-private partnership (PPP) as envisioned by President Benigno Aquino III. These are the terminal building, the cargo area and the parking area. Aumentado said incentives will also be thrown in for good measure into the package to make the NBA more attractive to bidders. The winning bidder will implement these components, and operate them under terms of reference to be agreed upon which, for transparency, will be published.