The provincial government has now sped up the purchasing of lots for the development of the Panglao international airport project. From the second tranche of P73 million released in the last week of July, only P2.375 million was disbursed. It was part of the P4.87 million that the provincial government released last week for the purchase of 13 more lots, making it 85 hectares in all, the lots purchased for the airport project. The province needs to acquire at least 215 hectares for the project. On the other hand, Jose Torralba, consultant for the Panglao airport project, suggested that the provincial government must identify a two-hectare public land to be developed into a relocation site for the affected landowners.

Torralba cited that of the 65-hectare property of the provincial government, only 25 hectares was included in the final design of the airport project. Torralba issued the statement during the regular weekly meeting of the local task force of the Panglao-Bohol International Airport Development Project on Wednesday last week at Chatto Hall of the Capitol Building. Provincial Legal Officer Handel Lagunay, for his part, presented a draft of the proposed guidelines for landowners who prefer exchange or barter for their properties. In the proposed guidelines, it is stated that available government lots shall first set aside an area for the relocation of qualified dislocated families and that the remaining area shall be equitably distributed to qualified landowners.

Priority qualified landowners are those who signify intention to barter on a first-come-first-served basis, those who can't afford to to purchase another suitable lot or construct a home in Panglao because of the limited proceeds from the sale of their properties based on the size of their land. The remaining government lots for barter shall be shared by the remaining landowners on the principle of value for value, and that priority qualified landowners are also those who are willing to shoulder the cost of subdivision. The proposed guidelines is subject for approval of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), though. Lagunay also reported that there are 21 lots totaling to 77,036 square meters which owners are interested on barter and exchange arrangement.

On the other hand, CIDS Community Organizer Carmelita Limbarong of the social preparation component, reported that her group has intensified the information dissemination on the benefit of the project amid the black propaganda launched by popular social critic, former governor and defeated congressional candidate, Victor dela Serna. Limbarong stressed that it is very necessary for the lot owners to really sit down with the proponents of the project to come up with an agreement and prevent the government from opting for expropriation by December 31. She said they aim for zero expropriation. At present, after having organized the PBIADP cooperative in June, they proceeded to organize in barangays Bulod, Tawala and Danao. Then to prepare the people for the sustainability of the program, Limbarong said they have conducted leadership trainings and will be conducting livelihood trainings when they would finish the survey of houses affected by the airport project. “The priority livelihood project will be identified based on the preference of the affected lot owners which details will be based on the data that they would indicate in the survey forms,” Limbarong explained.

Meanwhile, Lagunay announced during the weekly radio program, Governor's Report, that at 10 a.m. of August 17, the Panglao Island Tourism Estate (PITE) inter-agency task force will hold a meeting at the Bohol Beach Club which Governor Erico B. Aumentado, task force chairman, will preside. Lagunay said that during the meeting, he will report on the status of land acquisition, while representatives of the PCJI Engineers, the project consultant, will present the feasibility study on the project. Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Alfonso Cusi, DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza and other members of the inter-agency task force will also attended the meeting. (AV-PGMA)