The business sector in Negros Oriental is looking forward to new investment opportunities and a vigorous economy once the new airport in the province is completed, an industry executive said.
“What once was a dream has now come true, or at least, will soon come true once the project is finished,” Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Edward Du told the Philippine News Agency Aug. 20.
Du was referring to the P17 billion airport that the national government plans to build in Bacong, a town adjacent to capital Dumaguete City.
“It will benefit not only Negros Oriental but Siquijor and Negros Occidental being part of the Negros Island Region and the whole country as well,” he said.
On Monday, officials from the Department of Transportation, Department of Finance, and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) presented to Governor Chaco Sagarbarria the documents on the new Dumaguete Airport Development Project.
The DOF and KEXIM have signed an agreement for the new international airport, which will be situated on a 270-hectare lot in Bacong.
During a stakeholders’ gathering at the Capitol, provincial officials and private sector representatives were briefed on the airport development project.
Du expressed optimism the airport development project will generate jobs, provide more business opportunities, strengthen the local economy and increase tourism activities.
Director Felicisimo Pangilinan Jr. from the DOTr and KEXIM-EDCF deputy director Kwon Minjeong, meanwhile, led the engagement forum that was also attended by 2nd District Rep. Manuel Sagarbarria, Department of Finance undersecretary Joven Balbosa, and Du, among others, the Capitol said in a press release Aug. 20.
“Pangilinan’s emphasis on the importance of establishing a new airport serves as a clarion call for collective enthusiasm and gratitude among NegOrense. His assertion that airports have no service boundaries elucidates how such developments extend benefits beyond immediate geographic constraints,” the Capitol added.
It said a new airport will not only enhance accessibility but also stimulate local businesses, attract tourism, and create job opportunities, ultimately contributing to sustained economic growth in Negros Oriental.
The ceremonial turnover of the feasibility study for the New Dumaguete Airport signifies more than just an administrative milestone; it represents a commitment to progress, facilitated by collaboration between government entities and private stakeholders, the Capitol said. ||
