Airport authority shelves plan to relocate Kalibo International AirportKALIBO, Aklan – The plan of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to transfer the Kalibo International Airport to another location in the province was shelved, according to airport manager Engr. Percy Malonesio.
In a meeting last month, CAAP officials had discussed the possibility of transferring the operations of the main airport in the western side of Aklan due to court cases on land dispute between the government and the claimants.
CAAP's plan to build a brand new replacement airport which will cost billions of pesos in the future. Aside from KIA, the Godofredo P. Ramos airport (Caticlan airport) is also serving the domestic flights from Manila and Cebu for Boracay Island.
Malonesio said he defended KIA’s retention in the capital town of Kalibo from CAAP director general Alfonso Cusi and other top CAAP officials, citing, the tourism efforts of the local officials and the positive growth of tourist arrivals despite the Manila hostage taking last August.
“We were lucky I attended the meeting last month and had convinced CAAP officials to maintain the operations of Kalibo airport. Rather than build a new multi-billion airport in Aklan, the government should develop the existing KIA to meet international standards,” he said.Malonesio also stressed the increasing volume of inbound tourists from Taiwan and South Korea and the growing number of domestic and regional airlines en route to Kalibo International Airport.
The airport strategically located in Barangay Pook, this town, has nearly 60-acre site in the boundary barangays of Tigayon, Estancia and Caano. He said the terminal buildings, airport tower, roads and runway, CAAP and airlines offices and other structures occupied 28 hectares or more than 50 percent of KIA's land area.
“They were (CAAP officials) also optimistic of KIA’s development to cater more chartered and direct flights in the region, even during the lean months,” he added.
Malonesio said additional regional flights from Busan, South Korea and the plans of Zest Air to establish its main hub of operations in the Kalibo airport would create more local jobs and tourism receipts especially for the island of Boracay in the long term.
The new two-storey passenger terminal building, he stressed, will accommodate international tourists and the old terminal building will temporarily served the incoming domestic flights.
Malonesio said additional regional flights from Busan, South Korea and the plans of Zest Air to establish its main hub of operations in the Kalibo airport would create more local jobs and tourism receipts especially for the island of Boracay in the long term.
The new two-storey passenger terminal building, he stressed, will accommodate international tourists and the old terminal building will temporarily served the incoming domestic flights.
the reason that was provided for the attempt to transfer the kalibo international airport to the western side of aklan is: "due to court cases on land dispute between the government and the claimants. bullshit! the amount that the government will spend to settle land disputes out of court(by buying the disputed land perhaps!?) will be much much less than the cost the government will spend in order to transfer KIA to another place. if the land price is right, claimants will sell you see. sin-o ro anda nga guina loco ay? ro mga kalibonhon? who ever has the temerity to even think and suggest such transfer is a sleazy individual with only huge and obscene kick back in his mind. could this person be a big shot politician from the western part of aklan?
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