Repair of Mactan airport runway okayed

CEBU CITY — The Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority has unanimously approved the immediate "rejuvenation" of the airport’s three-kilometer runway.

Airport operations manager Romeo Bersonda said the unanimous approval disproved earlier reports that Gov. Pablo Garcia, who sits in the authority’s board, was opposed to the repair.

While the board had questioned how the runway could be repaired at the shortest possible time, Bersonda said nobody opposed the repair.

Last September, Japan Air Consultants assessed the state of the runway’s disrepair from "medium to severe."

This prompted fears that the runway’s condition could worsen and pose danger to people and aircraft if it is not repaired at once.

The rejuvenation process, expected to cost P47 million, will involve specialized construction work and only companies duly accredited by the US Federal Aviation Administration will be allowed to take part in the bidding.

Airport authorities will carry out a limited bidding procedure in lieu of the customary public bidding.

Invitations to bid have been sent to at least three foreign companies and the winner will be notified before the year ends. — Freeman News Service