LEYTE Rep. Martin Ro- He noted that various
transport road-
mualdez on Sunday ral' bansport-rclated agencies
lied congressional sup- and local governments
port for a 3o-year trans- havebeen Aying to devel-
port roadmap that seeks op their respective trans-
to upgrade existing ail- polt plans or strategies to
ports, -including the address bottlenecks and
Tacloban airport, into in- improve outcomes in the
temational faeilities. transport sector.
"I am elated to hear "However, to be able
that goverrunent has fi- tobring a more focused or
nally committed to up- targeted intervention tha t
grade Tacloban airport is more inclusive- these
into arr intemational air- various stra tegies need to
polt. Upgrading our air- focus on estaSfishing in-
ports in the provinces for terconnectivity between
intemationalusewillsu.re- kev urban qrow th centers
lv troost local economies anil betue;n hgging and
dnd ensure equitable f ast-gro1.\'ing region-s, arrd
growth among the re- creating suppoding insti-
gions," said Romualdez, tutions that promote
who was endorsed by greater integratior!" said
PresidentRodrigo "Rody" Tugade.
Duterte to be the Majority The 30-year roadmap,
Leader of the House of he said, will selve as a
Representatives. strategic framework that
"The Duterte admin- will help policyrnakers
istration has ushered in identify the transport
lhe Golden Era of Infta- needs of the Philippines
slructure in the Philip- as well as guide them in
pines. This is an opportu- implementhganintegtat-
nity for us to come up ed, more cooldin; ted ab j
with a roadmap that will proach to establishing
guide policymaters in sbongei hansport infra-
developing transport in- structure linlages to sup-
frastructure linking aU port the country s indu-
areas in the c6un try," Ro- sive growth agenda.
mualdez, president of the Romualdez, a lawyer
Lalasthris-tian Muslim and President of the Phil-
Democrats (CMD), add- ippine Constitution As-
ed. sociation (Philconsa), and
The plan to construct his fellow congressmen
more intelnational air- readily expressed their
ports and rehabilitate ex- agreement with Tugade
isting ones was rurveiled and vowed to mobilize
bv TransDortation Secre- suppoft for the approval
tiry Artliur Trrgade in a of the 30-year roadmap in
meeting with Romualdez the House of Representa-
and 40 other congressmen tives.
at the Manila Golf late "I requested the as-
Wednesday afternoon. sembly of congressmen
Tugade said the airport here today precisely for
development proFam is thatreason. Webadlyneed
part of the 30-year road- a strategic ftamework for
map designed by the Du- l.inkin g-the entire country
terte administration to set though well-designed in-
in place an integratedand frastructure projects. This
more coordinated ap- is one program worthy of
proach in building trans- our all-out support " said
port inft astructure linkag- Romualdez.
es in the entire country. AII congressmen
"I am seeking all yow present during Tugade's
help to ensure that this presenta tion agreed wi th
roadmap will be ap- Romualdez's pronounce-
provedbyCongiess. With- ment, with Albay Rep.
out legislation, this road- Joey Salceda even com-
map will remain just a mittins himself to be an
program that may be author" of the proposed
scrapped by future ad- transport roadmap in the
ministrations," Tugade 18th Congress.
explained to lawmakers. Aside from craftingthe
30-yea!
map, Romualdez said
Congress must ensure
fimding requiremen ts in
the 2020 budeet for all
transport-relaied infra-
structure projechs, includ-
ing the rehabilitation and
up$ade of all vital air.
polts.
"Even the President
has taken notice of the
chaos at the Ninov Aoui-
no International hi#ort
Terminal 2 He was'not
pleased tohave witnessed
how passengers endured
congestion due to flight
delays and cancella tions, "
said the Leyte lawmaler.
To help decongest the
Ninoy Aquino Interna-
tional Airport (NAIA),
Romualdez said the gov-
em[Ientmustupgradeall
vital airports across the
country particularly those
departing from and ariv-
ing in Manila.
The airport upgades,
he said, must indude the
widening of the breath of
the runway and the up-
grade of terminal facili-
ties for nighFflight capa-
bilities.
Airport authorit-ies
noted that domestic
flights depating Manila
are crarrured dudng day-
time due to inability of
provincial airports to re-
ceive flights at night.
This contributes to
healy haffic at theNAIA,
which has onlv two nrn-
ways handlingiboth inter-
national and domestic
flights.
Records from the DoTr
sho1M that only 19 of the
country's 42 airports are
able to receive and dis-
patch night flights.
In the 2018 national
budget, the government
has appropriated a total
of P10.1 billion to mod-
emize 40 airports, includ-
ing Clark International
Airport which received
the biggest slice of P2.74
billion.
"If necessary, we may
have todoubleihatamount
in die 2020 national bud-
get. This requires a multi-
partisansupportfrombotlr
the Senate and the House
of Representatives," said
Romualdez. ?ag e U