COTABATO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 26, 2014) – Various sectors have expressed their concerns over several issues affecting traders and other stakeholders in Mindanao.
These concerns were tackled during the recent “Business Connectivity Consultation for Central Mindanao: Cotabato Airport and Polloc Port” where some representatives from various sectors attended the meeting spearheaded by the Regional Board of Investments (RBOI)
Shamera Abobakar, the RBOI information officer, said among the recommendation and concerns raised during the consultation were the following:
1. There was no prior public consultation with the business sector and the flying public with regard to airport renovation or airlines’ limited flight schedule causing passengers and cargoes to pass via General Santos City or Davao City, as such the participants appealed for a public consultation by the Department of Transportation and Communication;
2. To make a formal request to Vic Lao, the airport contractor, to fast track the rehabilitation and repair of the Cotabato Airport since this has caused double handling expenses resulting to the rise in prices of commodities including passengers’ fare;
3. To organize a monitoring team led by the private sector that will keep track of the on-going rehabilitation of the Cotabato Airport;
4. Investors, foreigners, aid and donor agencies personnel and government officials of the ARMM and the national government have a hard time scheduling meetings in Cotabato City, the administrative capital of ARMM as well as, in Manila due to the lack of daily flights;
5. The representatives from Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines informed the participants that the Notice to Airmen will expire on February 28, 2014 and that normal flight schedule will resume daily immediately provided that repair will be from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Abobakar said a resolution was also passed by the participants appealing for the resumption of the regular daily flights at the Cotabato Airport until such time as the DOTC and CAAP actually begin repairs and rehabilitation of the airport and to be submitted to Congresswoman Sandra Sema and Congressman Jesus Sacdalan – and to concerned regional and national government agencies such as DOTC and CAAP for appropriate action. (Mindanao Examiner)
20