MANILA – The Commission on Audit (COA) took to task the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) for failing to implement 15 infrastructure projects worth P123.500 million in four Western Visayas airports.
In its annual audit report released yesterday, COA also called CAAP’s attention to the delay “in the implementation of the lone project implemented, which consequently delayed the delivery of basic services to intended beneficiaries.”
The Kalibo International Airport in Kalibo, Aklan had the highest value of delayed projects at P85.8 million, with the runway strip grade correction costing the most at P51.5 million.
Aside from the runway strip, also not implemented at the Kalibo airport were the provision of a cargo building, rehabilitation of the fire station building and re-blocking of the pavement on the tarmac.
Kalibo International Airport is one of two airports serving the world-famous Boracay Island, the other being the Godofredo P. Ramos Airport also known as Caticlan Airport in the town of Malay, Aklan. It services international destinations such as Taipei, Seoul-Incheon, Busan, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hong Kong and Singapore.
At the Bacolod-Silay International Airport in Negros Occidental, around P9 million worth of projects for the improvement of the covered waiting area and the terminal building were not implemented, according to COA.
The Bacolod-Silay International Airport is designated as a Principal-Class 1 Domestic Airport by CAAP. Capable of handling international air traffic, it is the busier of the two major airports serving Negros Island, the other being Dumaguete Airport in Sibulan, Negros Oriental.
Over at the Iloilo International Airport, there were P5.5-million worth of projects pending while at the Roxas City Airport in Capiz P15 million worth of projects for the construction of a new five-storey control tower, additional offices and a water drainage system were not done.
The Iloilo International Airport is the first airport in both Western Visayas and the island of Panay to be built to international standards, and it is also considered to be the primary gateway into the region. It services two international flights – Singapore and Hong Kong.
COA said there were also projects worth P32.6 million that were carried over and were scheduled to be implemented in 2018.
“Poor monitoring and lack of proper coordination with concerned units at CAAP Head Office assigned to implement the projects contributed to the delay in the execution of these,” according to COA.
The annual audit report also noted the delays in the implementation of 84 non-infrastructure projects such as runway repairs or repainting and maintenance works worth P40.283 million./PN
