Cong. Edgar Chatto called on Department of Transportation (DOTr) Sec. Jimmy Bautista during the recent Budget Deliberations to facilitate resolution of pending issues surrounding the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA), reports say.
Since 2018 when the facility was inaugurated, no improvements were noticed at the airport. Many observers even say that the airport is already deteriorating.
Chatto said that the Civil Aviations Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is the one managing the BPIA while waiting for the O&M contractor to take over.
Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC) and DOTr were about to sign the O&M contract as approved by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in 2020 but got stalled when the Coronavirus disease (Covid) struck as lockdowns were implemented.
AIC submitted a revised proposal considering the changes on economic variables caused by the pandemic.
Until this time, the proposal has not been agreed with finality among the DOTr, NEDA and AIC.
Moreover, Bautista assured Chatto that efforts to expedite the process of naming a contractor that operate and manage the BPIA is underway.