It took the efforts of the current administration to put a new roof on Ormoc City Airport after the old one was blown to bits by super typhoon "Yolanda" in November 2013.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade gave this reminder to the public during his recent speech at the Sulong Pilipinas: A Pre-SONA Economic Development & Infrastructure Clusters Forum.
At the event, Tugade spoke about the agency’s accomplishments during the five years of the Duterte administration. He said that for the aviation sector in particular, the DOTr has implemented development projects in General Santos, Kalibo, Virac, Camiguin, Ormoc, Tacloban, and Calbayog Airports "to boost air mobility and connectivity in the regions".
"‘Yung Ormoc, ladies and gentlemen, halos wala nang bubong ‘yan noong aming nadatnan (Ladies and gentlemen, the airport in Ormoc almost had no roof when we got there)," Tugade said.
"Nasira pa ‘yan noong bagyong Yolanda at hindi man lamang nakatikim ng ginhawa. Inayos po natin ‘yan (The airport was damaged back during the time of typhoon Yolanda and didn't get any relief. We fixed it)," he noted.
President Duterte took over from former president Benigno S. Aquino III in June 2016, nearly three years after the powerful and devastating typhoon brought the country’s central islands to its knees.
The new and improved Ormoc City Airport in Leyte was inaugurated on July 5, 2019. Duterte and Tugade were both in attendance.
"Since 2016 to present, the DOTr and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines have completed a total of 121 airport projects," Tugade bared during the pre-SONA (State of the Nation Address) forum, which took place Monday, April 26.
He said these projects included long-delayed international airport constructions like the Bohol-Panglao International Airport – the country’s first eco-airport. It was inaugurated in 2018.
"The Bicol International Airport, which was delayed for 11 years will finally be finished within this year with a current progress rate of almost 80 percent. We also have other completed flagship projects such as the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and the world-class Passenger Terminal Building II of the Clark International Airport," the transportation chief said.