CEBU CITY – The governor of Negros Oriental opposed plans to construct an international airport in Bacong, a fourth-class municipality in the province.
Gov. Roel Degamo vowed to bring his opposition to the Office of the President.
"For the record, I am strongly opposing, as governor of Negros Oriental, the creation of an international airport in Bacong,” Degamo said during the 4th Regional Development Council-Central Visayas (RDC-7) full council meeting here on Tuesday, Dec. 6
Instead of constructing the Bacong International Airport, Degamo suggested to just upgrade the existing Dumaguete domestic airport.
Or if a new airport will be constructed, it should be in Tanjay City.
"It is more economical and more feasible if we are going to put it up at Tanjay City or just improve the existing airport in Dumaguete,” said Degamo, who attended the meeting via Zoom.
Also present during the meeting was Bacong Mayor Lenin Alviola, who said Degamo can no longer make his opposition as the planned project has been discussed in the previous RDC-7 meetings.
"The opposition of the governor is already moot and academic because the project is already with the Office of the President," Alviola told Degamo, who insisted that “it is my duty to impose what is best for the province.”
”Bacong is belongs to the province of Negros Oriental and I am the governor. It is my duty to impose what is best for the province," Degamo said.
Bohol Gov. Aris Aumentado, chairman of the RDC-7, advised Degamo to write to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)-Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) where the project is being processed for budget allocation.
Degamo said he has sent a letter to the NEDA-ICC opposing the airport.
He added that personnel from the Department of Transportation has already inspected his preferred site for an international airport in Tanjay.