Demands met
110 affected families claim victory in airport row

By Florence F. Hibionada

Over a hundred families in Cabatuan, Iloilo affected by the construction of the New Iloilo Airport Development Project (NIADP) finally claimed victory.

This, after all demands that has long been pushed by the group were resolved by the national government and granted as promised.  As such, all is expected to be well and smooth for the continued works of the multi-billion airport project, shelving concerns of yet more delays.

In an interview, The News Today (TNT) got the confirmation from Mario Andon, key figure in the association of Project Affected People (PAP) and the Airport Concern Alliance (ACA).

With the ‘victory’ comes the assurance of a government-assistance package starting off with the P5.5 million housing plans for the 110 families of the PAP.  The lot, 110 square meters for each family, will be under an indefinite usufruct virtually sealing a lifetime use and stay for the group in relocation site in Barangay Bangguit, Cabatuan, Iloilo.

There will also be P50,000 as jump-off government “loan” for each of the said affected families payable in the next 25 years.  Further still, representations in major committees was granted to the PAP and ACA namely with Josephine Teoresca for the Relocation Management Committee, Susan Teoresca for the Manpower-pooling Committee and Maximo Mana-ay for the Multi-partite Monitoring Team.

Total victory, Andon declared as he quipped, “daku ang nabulig sang national government, daku man ang nabulig nga wala na nagsinagi kapahilabot si Governor Niel Tupas kag (Cabatuan) Mayor Ramon Yee.  (The national government helped a lot.  And a lot of help too that Governor Niel Tupas and Mayor Ramon Yee stopped meddling.)”

PAP and ACA credits the resolution of the longtime airport row to Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Assistant Secretary Ricardo Tan.

Commitments were further laid down, Andon continued, that guaranteed employment and livelihood to the affected families.

“First to be hired and last to be fired,” he added in jest.

Valued at over P8 billion, the new airport project remains a subject of a congressional probe with probe results expected next month or December at the latest.  Issues were brought to national attention following allegations of massive graft and corruption, irregularities and anomalies in its early months of project implementation.

The new airport sits on a 184-hectare lot situated between the towns of Cabatuan and Sta Barbara, Iloilo. It would be a domestic trunkline airport that will replace the existing airport in Mandurriao.

It is financed by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the Philippine government and is seen to be completed by the year 2007.