Davao Oriental eyes P375-M fund next year to jumpstart airport operations

THE DAVAO Oriental provincial government will seek a P375-million fund in next year’s national budget to jumpstart the operations of the airport in its capital, Mati City.

In a statement on Friday, Davao Oriental Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon said the allocation will be endorsed by the Davao Regional Development Council, which she chairs, and submitted to the Office of the President for inclusion in the 2024 spending plan.

The fund will be used to expand the runway, construct a passenger terminal, parking area, an apron to accommodate two to three aircraft, a control tower, a fire station, an administrative building, a concessionaire’s area, and an access road.

Ms. Malanyaon met last week with Santy M. Zapata, project manager of the Department of Transportation Aviation Sector.

Mr. Zapata noted that “most of the lots have already been transferred to the name of the department, the next step is to develop the airport.”

The governor and other local officials have been pushing for the revival of the mothballed airport, which is expected to boost tourism in the province.

Davao Oriental’s attractions include the Dahican Beach in Mati, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mt. Hamiguitan, Pujada and other bays recognized by a global group as among the most beautiful in the world, and other eco-tourism sites.

SOLAR POWER
Meanwhile, a solar farm in a 40-hectare area in Banaybanay town is among the latest power supply projects being proposed in the province.

“We cannot really capture more investments in Davao Oriental if we continue to have continued power shortage. So, this development is very much welcomed and needed by our province,” Ms. Malanyaon said in a separate press release.

The planned solar energy project will have an initial capacity of up to 50 megawatts. Its proponent is Yeung Marine Holdings, Inc., which invests in agri-fisheries and renewable energy, according to the provincial government.

A memorandum of agreement is being prepared “to set the project in motion,” it said.

The company is also proposing to install rooftop solar panels on provincial government buildings, including the capitol, hospital, the Subangan Museum, and the Davao Oriental State University. — MSJ