By Denise A. Valdez
THE rehabilitated passenger terminal of the Virac Airport in Catanduanes is set to be inaugurated today after a delay of two years.
A statement by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said the P39-million terminal, which was completed on May 14, has a “modernized structure” and will increase its capacity to 300 passengers from the previous 100.
“The ground floor and second floor pre-departure areas have been expanded, and the arrival area in the ground floor has also been rehabilitated,” it said.
The project began construction in January 2016 and was originally scheduled for completion in July that year. But operations stopped in May “after additional retrofitting works were considered necessary to provide stability for the old building originally built in 1963.”
The project was further delayed when Typhoon Nina hit Catanduanes in December, costing an additional P4.5 million to repair the terminal.
Among the officials attending the launching are Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, CAAP Director General Jim C. Sydiongco, and Transportation Undersecretary Manuel Antonio L. Tamayo.
