Bataoil Cites Ideal Venues for Airport, BPO Hub

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – If it would be his way, the mayor here wants the present airport be phased out and converted to a business park as what real estate giant’s Megaworld had done in the old Iloilo City’s airport.

“Natuwa nga ako noong maglakbay aral ang provincial government doon sa Iloilo mismo. They should be able to appreciate what Iloilo did in Mandurriao Airport sinarado pero ang ganda na ngayon. Ngayon, ang ni-relocate nila sa Cabatuan sa Iloilo the new international airport. Malaking pondo rin iyon but malaki connection ni Governor Guico he should be able to find for that purpose”.

CROSSWIND IN LINGAYEN AIRPORT

Bataoil cited the crosswind, as one of his reasons for the closure of the coastal airport here, that pummels the area above and on the runway that could endanger the lives of the passengers as the plane lands or takes off.

“I recommended for the closure of that old airport and convert it into a commercial district. That was my stance just like the Iloilo experience,” the Mayor, a former Congressman and Police General, explained to Northern Watch Newspaper.

ILOILO BUSINESS PARK

Iloilo Business Park is a 92-hectare (230-acre) mixed-use master-planned community development in Mandurriao, Iloilo City, Philippines by Megaworld Corporation. It is located on the site of Iloilo's former Mandurriao Airport which the conglomerate acquired for P1.2 Billion from the Philippines national government. The real estate behemoth poured in P25 Billion for the entire development in a span of years. It is an integrated township project featuring a commercial district, a lifestyle mall, office buildings catering to business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, boutique and deluxe hotels, and a convention center.

The BPO association president of Pangasinan, Bataoil cited, made a courtesy call to his office to inform him the association considered his town as their planned hub.

BPO HUB

Aside from the old airport here Bataoil looks at Brgy. Estanza and the sprawling land of the Gonzales-Bengzon Families (near the being constructed overpass highway) as center of the BPO.

“Street designs, service area, pati underground cabling,” he cited the aesthetics and the services being done there.

Initial development of the Iloilo Business Parks includes construction of a road network, the 12-storey Richmonde Hotel Iloilo and Richmonde Tower, Festive Walk, Two Business Process Outsourcing office buildings. The information technology (IT) complex has been certified as an IT park by the Philippines Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), granting locators perks such as tax holidays and duty-free importation of equipment among others, according to ABS-CBN on its 2011 article’s Megaworld Builds Iloilo Business Park.

INTERNATIONAL, DOMESTIC AIRPORTS

Bataoil leaves to Governor Ramon Guico, III, the congressmen and provincial officials either to construct an airport in Alaminos City, in the proposed San Carlos – Lingayen area or at the 184 hectares Barangays Estanza, Malimpuec and Capandanan

“Doon sa Alaminos meron ng naumpisahan kasi e. Ang stance ni Cong. Conjuangco San Carlos – Lingayen. ngayon hindi ko alam kung ano ang susupurtahan ni Governor. I was reconnecting initially iyong either to relocate doon sa western (part of Lingayen) kasi meron ng 184 hectares available”.

The venue for these two locations became interesting when Pangasinan 2^nd District Rep. Cojuangco disagreed with Pangasinan 1^st District Cong. Celeste when the latter said the airport could be hosted in western Pangasinan.

“So about the airport it’s an update, before the election (May 2022) noong bumaba ang Director ng Planning sa DOTR (Department of Transportation) before the election natapos na po nila ang feasibility study at P1.2 billion budget. Since I’m now in Congress I think with the help of our fellow Congressmen here we could lobby to the President Bongbong Marcos…,” excerpt of Celeste pronouncement in a press conference he attended in this town on May 11, 2022.

“Ngayon in the spirit of transparency Pareng Art I really thanked that. It’s a good idea to have the international airport at the boundary of Lingayen, Binmaley-San Carlos because the bulk of the population is here. The airport in Alaminos would be a nice regional airport. The problems there are the mountains. So for small aircraft perfect trans Philippines transportation, tourism perfect but the intention with really big airplane ay good ang central Pangasinan because anlalayo sa bundok for safety purposes…,” Cojuangco retorted to Rep. Celeste’s statement.

Bataoil said those mentioned above by the national and local officials could extend the planned airport or the BPO hub to Brgy. Sabangan because the family of former Speaker Jose de Venecia who have a land there are willing to augment the 184 hectares’ area.

“This will even complement iyong plano ni governor na gagawa ng iconic bridge from the east of the Baywalk, Capandanan, Malimpuec connect to the bridge in the Baywalk all the way to Sual”.

LEAVE TO THE EXPERTS

Bataoil leaves however to government bodies like the DOTr and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and other to have the final decision as they are the experts whether Lingayen needs another airport despite the one in Clark, Pampanga, the 19.8 kilometers shortcut access highway from the Clark to the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, and the new airport being constructed in Bulacan International Airport.

The last airport will be finished in year 2026.

“It might be better to fund for PEWEx (Pangasinan East West Expressway) and interconnectivity expressway towards Bulacan or to Clark so we can make use of those airports in Clark, Tarlac or Bulacan,” Bataoil opined.

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MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.