Mayor describes Puerto Princesa City airport as a ‘hell-hole’
[ Manila Bulletin Online ] April 15, 2008
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — "A much-awaited dream of an international airport for this top eco-tourism destination, which has been turned by the Air Transportation Office (ATO) into a temporary airport terminal in the city, is now a stinking, termite-infested hell-hole that could collapse anytime," Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn.
Hagedorn expressed outrage over the unbearable condition at the temporary airport terminal and the sudden work stoppage of the airport modernization project that the Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC) through the ATO is undertaking.
"Tourists flocking to the city for summer are being subjected to torture by the DoTC and ATO because the airport terminal is virtually an unbearable, stinking oven," Hagedorn said.
The temporary airport terminal does not have a working airconditioning system and worse, all its comfort rooms stink," Hagedorn said..
The problem at the the city’s airport was caused by the partial implementation of the proposed R3.2-billion airport expansion and modernization program that would convert the Puerto Princesa City airport into an international airport that could handle high passenger tourist traffic and wide-bodied aircraft.
"This is ridiculous, Phase 1 of the airport modernization program entailed construction of a temporary terminal structure for which an old structure was refurbished at the cost of R27 million. This old structure for the temporary terminal is not yet fully serviceable but is now in danger of collapsing and can give way any time because of termite infestation," Hagedorn warned.
Hagedorn said if Phase 1 is the structural work for the temporary airport terminal, Phase 2 is the more critical part as it involves making the terminal safe and serviceable and capable of handling hundreds of thousands of air travelers to the city all year-round in terms of proper ventilation and airconditioning, sanitary and clean comfort rooms and other basic necessities and amenities.
"We cannot allow any more unfortunate incidents like travelers collapsing at the airport terminal because of extreme heat and which had unfortunately led to the death of one traveler already," Hagedorn said.
"I am appealing to DoTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Tourism Secretary Ace Durano to provide solution to the problem. We cannot afford any more unfortunate incidents to destroy our image in the local and international tourism industry at this time," Hagedorn said.
Hagedorn said that Puerto Princesa City is primarily dependent on ecotourism and its agricultural and fishing industries.
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