Cebu 5th district Rep. Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco (Facebook)

House Deputy Speaker Cebu 5th district Rep. Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco intends to hit two birds with one stone with his proposal to construct a new international airport in his home province. 

Filed by Frasco in the current 19th Congress was House Bill (HB No. 9665), which seeks to establish the Sogod Cebu International Airport. 

According to Frasco, the proposed new gateway will help boost Cebu’s air transport sector as well as its economic growth. 

“The proposed Sogod Cebu International Airport will not only uplift the lives of the people in the 5th district, but will also bring a significant economic impact to the province of Cebu and the rest of the country," the House leader said. 

Frasco says air transport sector is a vital enabler of economic growth and development, and plays a significant role for high-value industries such as trade, manufacturing, and tourism. 

The bill seeks to establish an international airport in the municipality of Sogod, Cebu. 

It is envisioned to create more jobs for his constituents, enhance the tourism industry, attract more foreign investors, open local business to the global market, and generate income and tax revenues, among others. 

The proposed airport will be the second international airport in the province of Cebu. 

Its establishment shall help decongest the air traffic in the existing Mactan-Cebu International Airport, which is considered the second busiest airport in the country. 

It will also serve as the main gateway in the northern part of the Central Visayas Region, and improve access and connectivity across cities and other countries. 

Under the bill, the construction of the new international airport will be facilitated by the Department of Transportation (DOTr). 

It will serve both domestic and international air transport operating on modernized facilities and sophisticated management systems.