Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said he has to set aside whatever differences, political disagreements or conflict he has where the interest of Bacolod is concerned.

Leonardia met with Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella Sunday to discuss the Bacolod-Silay Airport together with Silay Mayor Jose Montelibano and Third District Rep. Jose Carlos Lacson.

Leonardia and Puentevella were political adversaries during the recent elections.

"Inasmuch as the meeting was that important and relevant to us here in Bacolod I did not have any second thoughts," Leonardia said.

Asked for his reaction, Puentevella said, the feeling is mutual and he sees no problem working with the other officials involved.

Puentevella said "When there is an opportunity for us leaders to rise to the occasion we have no choice but to unite and be counted for the good of our people and our beloved city." This is the only way towards progress, he said, and it took an airport of international standards to do that.

Puentevella hosted the dinner at L'Fisher Hotel Sunday in response to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's directive for local executives to finalize the airport opening schedule.

The Bacolod and Negros officials reached a consensus Sunday to open the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Brgy. Bagtic, Silay as soon as the concreting of the 4-km access road along McKinley Street has been completed by the Department of Transportation and Communications.

Puentevella, who chairs the House Committee on Transportation, said the McKinley access road is expected to be finished between October and December this year.

Leonardia said because of the concern for accessibility, they discussed another alternative route passing through Nacab, Talisay. He said it was estimated by Montelibano that from Nacab to the airport will only take about 5 minutes.

Leonardia said the third route will be from the circumferential road passing through Talisay and Silay, and the fourth is the circumferential road from Bago to Cansilayan to the eastern part of Bacolod (along Granada) and to Silay.

Puentevella said the DOTC renewed its commitment for the expansion of the Bacolod Silay Airport runway from 2,000 meters to 2,500 meters to be at par with the Iloilo and Mactan airport in Cebu.

He said the airport operation can be started soon, by December at the least, and work on the additional 500-m runway may commence by early next year, while the Korean group is finalizing details of the feasibility study on the 10.2-km diversion road from the Bacolod circumferential (Marapara and La Herencia area) to the airport.

Asked by reporters about why the airport is named the Bacolod-Silay airport, during a press conference yesterday, Montelibano said "It is just a name and it is our airport so I will be calling the shots since it is located in Silay." Maybe the name of Bacolod was put first to avoid confusion on its location, he said.

President Gloria Arroyo Friday said it is called the Bacolod-Silay Airport because even if it is located in Silay, in all the international codes they call it Bacolod airport.

Meanwhile, Puentevella said the President is very firm in her stand to sell the Bacolod airport and use the amount to pay for the Bacolod-Silay airport.

He said in case the existing Bacolod airport remains open there might be a problem since it is not possible to maintain two Air Transportation Office personnel. He said the equipment of the Bacolod airport will be allegedly transferred to the Kabankalan airport at the end of the year.

Puentevella said he believes business tycoon Lucio Tan should be consulted about his plans on the existing airport because he owns half of the property.

Leonardia said he talked with Public Works Secretary Leandro Mendoza Friday and he was told that if at all two airports are allowed to operate, these should cater to different passenger airlines to avoid accidents. He said this is because an airline belonging to one company will have the same flight path.

Leonardia said it might be possible for small airplanes to be allowed to operate in the present airport but this will be subject to a technical study. He said Air Philippines may continue to operate in the existing airport because it is owned by Lucio Tan.*CGS

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