Cebuano solon eyes international airport

A lawmaker in the province of Cebu is pushing for the construction of a second international airport in Sogod town, Cebu Province in the hopes of decongesting air and passenger traffic at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

Cebu Fifth District Representative Vincent Franco Frasco said that he has filed House Bill 9665 which seeks to establish the Sogod Cebu International Airpor.

"HB No. 9665 seeks to establish an international airport in the Municipality of Sogod, Cebu with a vision of creating more jobs for my constituents, enhancing the tourism industry, attracting more foreign investors, opening local business to the global market and generating income and tax revenues," Frasco said.

He cited that MCIA saw almost 790,000 passengers, up by 160 percent from 2022 as he reiterated that air transport sector is a vital enabler of economic growth and development, playing a significant role in high- value industries such as trade, manufacturing and tourism.

Meantime, Sogod Mayor Moonyeen Durano-Streegan told DAILY TRIBUNE that they welcome the proposal and disclosed that they had initial discussions for the proposal in the past months.

"I believe that an international airport in Sogod which will be located in a reclamation area will bring vital economic progress not just for Sogod but the rest of the 5th District in Cebu," Durano-Streegan said.

The proposed international airport in Sogod will be located in Barangay Bawo up to Barangay Bagatayam with an estimated area of 219 hectares. It is part of the proposed reclamation project approved in Sogod's Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

Sogod is about 60 kilometers north of Cebu City.

In 2020, Frasco also filed a bill for the construction of a domestic commercial airport in Camotes island.