KIDAPAWAN CITY – Cotabato Gov. Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza has vowed to complete the construction of the long-delayed Central Mindanao Airport in the town of M’lang.

CENTRAL Mindanao Airport (Cotabato provincial government photo) 

Mendoza made the assurance  during the candidates forum on Thursday, April 3, at the Notre Dame of Midsayap College in Midsayap.

She said the completion of the Central Mindanao Airport in Barangay Tawan-Tawan is moving forward with an allocation of P450 million.  

Mendoza reiterated the assurance after her long-time political rival, Emmanuel Piñol, claimed the completion of his brainchild project has long been delayed. 

“I built an airport when nobody believed it was viable. Fifteen years na-delay ang airport na ‘yan. Sana kung natapos 'yan noong araw sana lumilipad na ang eroplano diyan,” Piñol said.

 (I built an airport when nobody believed it was viable. The airport was delayed for 15 years. Airlines should have been using the airport now)

Mendoza said construction of the airport started in 2004 but the feasibility study happened in 2018. “Until today, we are still collating all the titles of the area because we have no idea who were paid or who owned the land.” 

Then Gov. Piñol initiated the project to become an alternative to the Cotabato Airport in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte  as well as assist local farmers in ferrying their produce to bigger markets in Manila.  

The airport never opened since construction began due to unresolved issues on land ownership as well as road right of way issues.   

In 2019, then Gov. Nancy Catamco acknowledged that Central Mindanao Airport lacks legal documents.

“One of the problems identified was the lack of deed of sale for the lands purchased by the provincial government of which, because of this, landowners were also forced to pay tax for the said properties,” a provincial government press release posted on its website on Aug. 2, 2019 said.  

Catamco tasked Provincial Legal Officer Jonah Mineses to fast-track the release of the confirmation of sale and other necessary documents needed to push through with the project.

She vowed to open the airport for initial commercial operation in 2020 but did not materialize.   

In the 2022 elections, Catamco lost to Mendoza, the vice governor of the province. 

Last month, Mendoza said that 10 land titles have been transferred to the provincial government with 18 to the Department of Transportation which has been closely monitoring the implementation of the CMA since 2023.

She added that an additional 39.2 hectares were acquired for over P100 million for project expansion and proper runway alignment.  

With the aid of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Region 12, Mendoza said 3.79 kilometers of the 4.109-kilometer access road in Barangay Langkong have been completed along with three kilometers of the second access road in Barangay Rizal.

“The compensation to 51 landowners, covering 103.2 hectares of the airport land, had been fully settled. The final processing and notarization of the Deed of Absolute Sale is ongoing to formally transfer ownership of the lands to the CMA,” Mendoza said.  

Mendoza assured Piñol that she will complete the airport and develop his hometown into a more progressive municipality in the province.  

A pitching activity was conducted two years ago to introduce the CMA to airline companies Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Asia as a potential air route in the country, Mendoza said.

Mendoza acknowledged the efforts of her daughter, Cotabato Rep. Ma. Alana Samantha Taliño-Santos, in securing a P450-million budget for the airside and landside facilities, asphalt, and essential infrastructure for the airport.

In 2010, Mendoza beat Piñol, the vice governor.  Three years later in 2013, he ran again to challenge Mendoza but lost.  This will be the third time that Piñol is challenging Mendoza for governor.