ILOILO CITY — Antique Gov. Rhodora “Dodod” Cadiao has urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to prioritize the development of the Antique Airport.
GOV. Rhodora Cadiao with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during a visit to San Jose de Buenavista, the capital of Antique, last June. (Antique PIO)
Cadiao said she personally made the appeal when Marcos presided over the Regional Development Council-6 meeting in Iloilo City last week.
“We need to extend the runway so bigger airplanes can land,” Cadiao told Manila Bulletin in a phone interview.
The Antique Airport located in the capital town of San Jose de Buenavista can only cater to turbo propeller airplanes.Philippine Airlines (PAL) has flights three times per week to the province.
Cadiao told Marcos of the urgency as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced decongesting the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) by transferring domestic turbo propeller airplane flights to Clark, Pampanga.
Cadiao said this would cause more inconvenience for Antiqueños who will have to endure longer travel time when passing through Clark Airport.
Once the runway can be extended, the Antique Airport can accommodate jet aircrafts.
As former chairperson of the RDC-6, Cadiao appealed to Marcos to look into the allocated budget.
The lady governor told the President she received reports that the budget allocation for the runway expansion was slashed.
Cadiao reiterated to Marcos that airport development is imperative to improve accessibility, boost trade, stimulate tourism, and enhance emergency responses.