The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
To boost local economies and domestic tourism, President Marcos directed the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to accelerate the long-delayed expansion of Naga Airport and the revival of the Philippine National Railways-South Long Haul (PNR-SLH) or Bicol Express, according to Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte.
Rep. Villafuerte said Marcos instructed Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan to address the stalled projects during a regional development council (RDC) meeting in Pili, Camarines Sur.
Villafuerte said the Naga Airport expansion will enable larger aircraft to land, increasing connectivity and tourism, while the Bicol Express railway project aims to reduce travel time between Metro Manila and Bicol to four hours.
Villafuerte expressed optimism that Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, known for his involvement in the “Build Build Build” program, will prioritize these projects.
He also urged Dizon to postpone the Manila Slot Coordination Committee’s (MSCC) decision to relocate turboprop flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to Clark International Airport (CIA) until the Naga Airport runway is expanded.
Regarding the project delays, Batan cited right-of-way (ROW) disputes for the Naga Airport expansion and funding challenges for the Bicol Express, which was initially planned for Chinese funding.
Marcos instructed Batan to explore alternative financing options, including official development assistance (ODA) from Japan or France.
Marcos also directed Batan to see what DOTr could do to solve the ROW disputes at the soonest so the runway expansion could finally commence, Villafuerte said.
The Naga airport modernization plan involves extending the 1.3-kilometer runway to 2 km so it can accommodate bigger aircraft such as the Airbus 320.
Aside from enhancing air travel safety, Villafuerte said the expansion project would provide a big boost to Bicol trade and tourism as the Naga Airport is one of two gateways to the region.