After several years of delays, the construction of the new terminal building of General Santos City International Airport (GSIA) is now speeding up, as the airport is taking its shape with the installation of its 2 airport bridges. The terminal building in which construction had begun April 2017 has been delayed for 3 years. Since its operations in 1996, the airport didn't receive any major repairs or upgrades. But in 2015, the former Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) sees the need to rehabilitate GSIA and its facilities. The proposed budget for the rehabilitation went to PhP 959 Million. Aside from the terminal building, the airport's basic supply facilities, water supply, power, navigation, and support facilities will be upgraded to meet the expanding influx of passenger traffic at the airport. Architectural Design The new terminal building is patterned in a Yellow Fin Tuna, which has become a symbolic icon for the city as it bags the title, "Tuna Capital of the Philippines". Setting it into International standards, the airport's upgraded terminal building shall feature 2 airport bridges that can easily ferry passengers from the terminal building to the plane. What caused the delays? Delay mars the construction schedule of GSIA's terminal building upgrade due to logistical and manpower problems. Edgardo Cueto, manager of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) says that the construction of GSIA's terminal building may be delayed for another year. He also cited that the delays were also because of the late delivery of imported steel and pre-fabricated materials from China. Cueto said the project’s contractor, joint venture firms Vicente T. Lao Construction and C.B. Garay Philwide Builders Inc., already incurred “huge slippage” based on the two-year contract duration. A “slippage” refers to the delay or failure to meet a deadline by the contractor in the implementation of a project contract. New deadline The Department of Transportation (DOTr) had considered the contractor’s request for a three-month extension or until September 2019 to complete the project. But since May, Cueto has doubted that the airport may be completed within the three-months extension. But until now, the airport's rehabilitation hasn't been completed. Leonard Flores, the chief of General Santos' City Economic Management and Cooperative Development Office (CEMCDO) said they are hoping that it will materialize in the first quarter 2020. What to expect once it is done? Flores said thru Philippine New Agency that Philippine AirAsia had told their intent to enter Manila to General Santos City flights.
“We already received a commitment from Air Asia for an evening flight from Manila this 2020,” he said. Flores added that they will aggressively be pushing to open new air routes for the city. The city government of General Santos has signed sisterhood agreements with the cities of Mabalacat, Angeles, and San Fernando in Pampanga as well as partnerships with their chambers of commerce and tourism associations to drum up support for the opening of direct flights between the city and Clark airports. CAAP has been also helping the city airport comply with the requirements for the hosting of international flights while the local government has already initiated studies for direct flights to Hong Kong and Singapore, he added. Source: Philippine News Agency, Mindanao Economic Boom
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Lloyd SaladagaA transport enthusiast turned advocate that shares the good vibes about Transportation in the Philippines. Together with affiliated transport enthusiast groups, he and his colleagues formed Transport.PH in 2016, that envisions to be the guide of all traveling Filipinos and daily commuters. ArchivesCategories |