Arroyo, Officials Showcase New Iloilo Airport

Monday, January 26, 2004

Arroyo, Officials Showcase Airport
Sun Star, Philippines


* Arroyo instructs Mendoza to start construction two
days after the scheduled signing of the award and
contract to the winning bidder on February 6 
* "I would like to assure you, the bidding process
that we undertook was very transparent. It was devoid
of any irregularity, it's all above-board," Mendoza
says 

CABATUAN, Iloilo -- President Arroyo and Senate
President Franklin Drilon showcased what they called
Western Visayas' "most expensive" infrastructure
project so far -- the P6.187-billion New Iloilo
Airport Development Project. 

This, amid the controversy on alleged irregularities
in the bidding procedure and overpricing. 

Arroyo, along with Drilon and Transportation and
Communication Sec. Leandro Mendoza, launched the
project, which is seen to increase air passenger and
cargo traffic in Iloilo and its influence areas to
boost economic development in Western Visayas. 

The project, funded by a Japanese Yen Loan Package, is
expected to be completed in 42 months. Its location
spans 10 barangays in the towns of Sta. Barbara and
Cabatuan, covering 186 hectares. 

An airport of international standards, Arroyo said it
would result to efficient travel, easy transport of
products and attract investors. 

During her speech, she instructed Mendoza to start
construction two days after the scheduled signing of
the award and contract to the winning bidder on
February 6. 

Shimitzu-Taisei consortium has been identified as the
winning bidder. 

The President issued the instruction even as the House
committee on transportation and communication has yet
to conclude its inquiry on the alleged irregularities
in the airport project and the Department of Justice
(DOJ), to issue the opinion sought by the Department
of Transportation and Communication (DOTC)on the
legality of the bidding procedure. 

Lack of concern 

The Airport Concern Alliance (ACA), a group of
farmworkers, tenants and landowners directly affected
by the project, however, claimed that despite their
support to the project, the government failed to
address their demands on compensation, relocation and
livelihood. 

Lucy Garbosa, a representative of ACA, said a concrete
manifestation of the government's "abuse and lack of
concern" to the affected residents is the approval and
purchase of the relocation site that they consider a
"riverbed-deathbead" zone. 

She noted that in a complaint filed by 2nd District
Rep. Augusto Syjuco with the Office of the Ombudsman,
the issue on the relocation site was raised. 

Cabatuan Mayor Ramon Yee was supposedly linked to the
alleged anomalous transaction, she said. 

"The problem here is that as much as the government
wants to push through with this project in the soonest
possible time, they are now resorting to arm twisting
of landowners, tenants and farmworkers to achieve
their targets. Where is now the policy of proper
consultant and just compensation here?" Tony Balcarse,
another ACA representative, asked. 

That is, on top of several landowners' preference to
go to court for expropriation procedings as they claim
that the P40 per square meter being offered as value
of their land is not compensating. 

No complaint 

However, Drilon said in a press conference, "not a
single landowner complained that any money was made"
during the transaction. 

"We purchased the 186 hectares, wala sang may
nagreklamo nga may nag-commission bisan sin-o (nobody
complaint that somebody got a commission)," he said. 

"I will not allow this project under the leadership of
President Arroyo to be tainted with any corruption.
That I can assure you. That is the instruction of the
President," he added. 

"I assure my fellow Ilonggos, there is no anomaly
here. 

I've been working for this for more than five years.
The bidding is international under the supervision of
DOTC and with the concurrence of Japanese embassy," he
said. 

Transparent 

Moreover, Mendoza, whose wife is from Lambunao, a town
adjacent to Cabatuan, brushed aside what he calls
insinuations on the alleged irregularities in the
project implementation. 

"I would like to assure you, the bidding process that
we undertook was very transparent. It was devoid of
any irregularity, it's all above-board," he said
during the same press conference. 

He added that he has "not seen a government official
as committed and aggressive" as Drilon in pursuing the
project. Drilon, he said, ensures that the project is
not only completed but remain untainted with
corruption. 

The senator will be part of the Steering Committee
which will oversee the project implementation. He will
be joined by Gov. Niel Tupas Sr., Syjuco, 3rd District
Rep. Arthur Defensor, Sta. Barbara Mayor Isabelo
Maquino and Yee. 

Mendoza is also included as well as the DOTC technical
staff and Japan Air Consultants Inc. 

"You can count on our commitment. There's an oversight
committee, a steering committee and the department
will ensure that there is no irregularity here,"
Mendoza added. 

Protest 

Fr. Jess Siva, Sanlakas Iloilo chairperson, and Fr.
Hector Canto joined the protest yesterday at Cabatuan,
carrying a slogan "You have betrayed your covenant
with the people. God will take that power away from
you." 

"What is clear is that GMA, despite knowing the
irregularities attached to this airport project,
continue to show a hardface to the people of Cabatuan
especially to those directly affected by the project,"
Siva said. 

He added: "Whatever they wish to call the activity
(yesterday) - groundbreaking, launching, inauguration
- it still speaks of an ill-intent much so directed
towards May 2004. But we believe that (it was) indeed
a launching, a GMA for president launching. And we
don't know if this is still God's will." 

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