DoTr directs CAAP to allocate up to P300M to fix transmission line issues

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) has directed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to allocate between P200 million and P300 million to address transmission line issues that have limited operations at the Bicol International Airport.

This came as the agency works to maximize the operations of the Bicol International Airport to enable it to accommodate international flights.

Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez said that the entire stretch of Bicol International Airport is about 2,500 meters, allowing it to accommodate jet operations.

“[However] the problem is funding. I talked to CAAP to allocate between P200 million to P300 million to fund these transmission line issues to optimize the runway. Hopefully, we can do it within the year,” Mr. Lopez said in a statement.

The DoTr said that it signed a memorandum of agreement with the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines to resolve the transmission line issue, which it said obstructed the runway.

Once the issue is fixed, the airport can utilize its runway length and can service jet operations and international flights, the Transportation department said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose