Cotabato City to build airport, seaport next year

All of these three projects will be undertaken by the China Engineering and Construction (Shenzhen) Company Inc. and the city government of Cotabato through a Private-Public Partnership scheme.

The city of Cotabato is getting one step closer to being one of Mindanao’s top transportation hubs as it begins construction of a new international airport and seaport next year.

In a statement, Cotabato City Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani said both the airport and seaport will be the two largest infrastructure projects in the city’s history. Also set to begin construction in 2020 is the China-Cotabato Friendship Technical School.

“All of these three projects will be undertaken by the China Engineering and Construction (Shenzhen) Company Inc. and the city government of Cotabato through a Private-Public Partnership scheme,” the mayor said.

“After more than a year of negotiations and study, the groundbreaking of the international airport will be conducted before the year 2019 ends.”

Mayor Guiani said the three projects are the result of steadfast relations between the people of Cotabato City and China. She thus described the three infrastructure projects as not merely a business partnership but “a brotherhood rooted deeply through the years.”

“Many Cotabatenios, including myself, have Chinese blood in them and that’s what connected us with our friends from this construction company. These projects will surely bring more progress and change our lives,” she explained.

Construction of the three projects will require the hiring of approximately 15,000 skilled workers; from carpenters and masons to laborers and other positions that are vital to the construction of buildings and roads.

Representatives of the China Engineering and Construction (Shenzhen) Company, headed by Mr. Yi Bin Liu and Ms. Tingting Yang, arrived in Cotabato City on 10 November to oversee the initial phase of the construction of each project. They said it would mark the beginning of their long-term commitment to the development of Cotabato City’s infrastructure.

The company earlier sent its engineers and architects to Cotabato City to present the blueprints for the three projects to the city’s own engineers and architects as well as the top officials. They also conducted various surveys of the construction sites.

The airport will be located at the barangay of Tamontaka while the seaport be built at the foot of Timaco Hill. Site of the technical school will also be in Tamontaka.