By Edalyn B. Acta & Felipe V. Celino
The Roxas Airport has become a campaign battle ground for both Capiz 1st District congressional candidates Paolo Roxas and Pinuno Party-list Congressman Howard Guintu.
Last week, Paolo Roxas accompanied Secretary Vince Dizon of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) while Congressman Guintu accompanied a team from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) in conducting two separate airport inspections.
Paolo Roxas said he personally invited Dizon to inspect so that DOTr can make necessary works to improve the airport.
Dizon assured that DOTr, thru its attached agency of Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), will begin the airport’s expansion project this year.
Congressional candidates Paolo Roxas and Pinuno Party-list Congressman Howard Guintu accompany national government agency officials during two different inspections of Roxas Airport. (Photos from Facebook pages of Paolo Roxas and Cong. Guintu)
But Guintu’s camp slammed Dizon and said his visit should not have been a “propaganda to promote a person”.
Guintu further said Dizon failed to consult other stakeholders including himself as he already made several representations to DOTr during the tenure of Jaime Bautista as DOTr secretary.
Guintu also claimed he inquired last year about the plans of DOTr and its CAAP to rehabilitate the Roxas Airport during the Lower House’s budget deliberations for fiscal year 2025.
When the TIEZA inspection team arrived, Guintu reiterated he made separate representations to TIEZA last year as means of finding another government entity to fund the improvement of the Roxas Airport, particularly the arrival and departure areas.
On the other hand, Roxas City Government also made separate appeals to DOTr last year. Mayor Ronnie Dadivas wrote Bautista urging for a feasibility study while the Roxas City Council passed a resolution that urged DOTr for funding to improve the airport.
Meanwhile, Mar Roxas was also seen during the airport inspection by Dizon. The former senator was the secretary of the then Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) in 2011. The agency is now the DOTr.
