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Pres.
Arroyo made true to her commitment to fast track the P4.2-
billion proposed Panglao, Bohol International Airport (PBIA)
which she wants to be inaugurated before she steps down in
2010.
In
an unprecedented move, the President ordered yesterday the
Investment Coordination Committee of the National Economic
Development Authority (NEDA) to hold a joint meeting with
the Cabinet at the NEDA board room at Ortigas in Pasig City
at 4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
Gov.
Erico Aumentado who was called to attend the conference told
the Chronicle that this emergency meeting ordered by the President
came as an offshoot of their meeting held in Malacañang
last Friday.
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The
President also ordered the NEDA to meet on Tuesday to
discuss the details of whatever will be approved by
the joint NEDA/Cabinet meeting tomorrow.
The
governor said that once the project is approved by NEDA,
the bidding will follow within the first quarter of
this year. He expects civil works for the airport to
commence by July this year.
It
maybe noted that bulk of the funding amounting to P2.9
billion will come from the Manila International Airport
Authority (MIAA) while some P920 million will be generated
from various government agencies.
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The
PBIA is programmed to be inaugurated on April 5, 2010 which
is the birthday of the President.
Boholanos
eagerly await the commencement of the project after this proposed
airport has been delayed over the years. It was only during
the Arroyo administration that the national government became
bullish to pursue the project which earlier generated some
opposition from island residents.
Meantime,
Prov'l Attorney Handel Lagunay told the Chronicle last night
that the total land processed and paid is 169.2 hectares or
about 82%. Some 28.5 hectares (14.6%) are those whose lot
owners are waiting for their lots to be paid by the government
while 4.8 hectares will have to be expropriated. There are
some 1.5 hectares under court litigation and considered also
for expropriation.
Initial
clearing operations at the site commence middle of this year.
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