Rufus, Uy move to turn Lumbia into an ‘international airport’

April 23, 2008

By Lizanilla J. Amarga

OPPOSITION congressmen Rolando Uy from the First District of Cagayan de Oro and Atty. Rufus Rodriguez are to pour in their pork barrel funds to make Lumbia Domestic Airport of an “international port of entry.”
During their regular session yesterday, opposition city councilor Teodulfo Lao pushed the approval of a Proposed Ordinance 2007-258 requesting Cong. Rodriguez to help upgrade the Lumbia Domestic Airport located at Barangay Lumbia this city.
This opposition city councilor recounted how Rodriguez, a former top honcho of the Bureau of Immigration (BID), was told of how a number of foreign tourists and investors are interested in coming to Cagayan de Oro City even for an overnight stay.
However, the Lumbia Domestic Airport’s runway needs to be extended by 500 meters and that it currently does not have a local extension office of the BID that would cater to these foreigners’ various needs.
Lao said Congressman Rufus Rodriguez had already talked and consulted with Air Transportation Office (ATO) officers, more than five embassy officials and even the incumbent Immigration secretary for this move.
“And Cong. Rufus Rodriguez is willing to pour out his own congressional funds for the extension of the Lumbia runway and the Immigration Secretary has assured him that a BID extension office will be put up in our Lumbia airport,” he said.
Lao recounted how Cong. Rodriguez was told that the construction of the Laguindingan International Airport at Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental will still take around 10 years to finish and become fully operational.
He said the City Government should not wait for 10 years to bring in more foreigners to be tourists or investors or both for Cagayan de Oro City.
“That is why I am proposing for the approval of this Ordinance to make our Lumbia Domestic Airport as an International Port of Entry with customs and immigration personnel,” he said.
City Councilor Alfonso Goking, the presiding chairperson for the City Council’s session yesterday, inquired regarding the amount of the allocation to be shelled out by Cong. Rodriguez.
Lao replied that the DOTC-ATO has already discussed with Cong. Rodriguez the amount that would be involved for the 500-meter extension of the Lumbia airport runway as well as the putting up of lighting facilities among others.
City Councilor Alden Bacal for his part did not object to Lao’s proposed ordinance, however, surprisingly asked that a study be conducted first as to the viability of putting up another international airport.
“There should be a feasibility study first before turning our Lumbia Domestic Airport into an international airport,” he said.
But Goking answered for Lao by telling Bacal that there is no need for a project study considering that international airports “can be extended even up to the mountains.”
Minority Floor Leader City Councilor Zaldy Ocon lauded the proposed ordinance of his fellow opposition councilor but proposed an amendment that it should not only be Cong. Rodriguez who should be requested by the City Council to shell out funds to bankroll the Lumbia airport upgrade to international standards.
“We should also ask Cong. Rolando Uy to help considering that the Lumbia Airport is part of his district and Cong. Rodriguez is from the Second District. Basin masuko hinoon kadto (Cong. Uy might be slighted),” he said.
Ocon’s amendment was greeted with approval by not only Lao but even by those from the administration city coucilors.
Former city planning and development officer now City Coucilor Maning Abejuela inquired whether the proposal to the customs and immigration offices at Lumbia airport would be transferred to Laguindingan International Airport once the latter is fully operational.
Lao said the Lumbia international airport will become a “secondary airport” once the Laguindingan International Airport is in full swing.
Goking said there is not much of an argument on this matter of putting a customs and immigration office at Lumbia Airport considering that the project of extending the airport’s runway is already a huge help to not just the foreigners but to city residents.
“Our Lumbia airport really needs to be rehabilitated,” he said.
The Proposed Ordinance was thus approved unanimously.