BACOLOD City – The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in Western Visayas has begun rehabilitating the facilities, particularly the comfort rooms, of the Bacolod-Silay Airport following complaints from the public.
In a social media post made by a concerned citizen, they questioned the airport’s management over the maintenance of the men’s comfort rooms located at the pre-departure and arrival areas.
The concerned citizen said the pre-departure comfort room has no toilet bowl seat, no available tissue papers, no bidet, defective urinal sensors, foul odor, and stained floors.
The arrival area comfort room, meanwhile, has defective urinal sensors, clogged urinals, no bidets and tissue papers available, and stained floors.
In response to the complaints, the official social media page of CAAP Area VI said they have taken notice of the complaints and announced that works and renovation at the airport have already begun.
Among the facilities now being repaired or cleaned up are the comfort rooms at the passenger terminal building and water filtration systems. Booster pumps and street lights were also replaced.
CAAP Area VI has also appealed for understanding and patience from the public over the inconvenience caused by the ongoing works. They assured that the management is doing its best in making the airport a clean and comfortable gateway of Negros Occidental.
Last year, the CAAP central office allocated P80 million in funds to develop the Bacolod-Silay Airport.
Captain Manuel Antonio Tamayo, CAAP director general, also visited the facility in September last year and expressed his disappointment over the state of the Bacolod-Silay Airport, such as its security, management and maintenance of the airport infrastructure.
“That’s not acceptable to me, that’s insulting,” he commented.
The CAAP chief then gave strict orders to airport staff to improve their measures to ensure that the airport’s equipment and facilities are safeguarded and maintained.
Located in Silay City, Negros Occidental, the Bacolod-Silay Airport opened in 2008 replacing the Bacolod Domestic Airport in Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City.
The airport plays a vital role in facilitating travel to and from Negros Occidental and the Western Visayas region, contributing to tourism and economic growth in the area.
Despite being billed as an international airport, Bacolod-Silay Airport is designated as a Class 1 Principal domestic airport by CAAP.
There have been multiple proposals to develop, operate and maintain the airport through a public-private partnership agreement. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
