The issue on the retention of the Bacolod Airport should be given a chance to be subjected to a thorough discussion of the merits, in either open or executive session or at the committee level, Bacolod businessman Rodolfo "Babes" Alvarez said, in his letter to the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod.

Alvarez wrote the SP Saturday through Councilor Alex Paglumotan, saying he believes this issue is too important to be viewed from the perspective of conventional or traditional wisdom, and, therefore, should be discussed thoroughly. His letter that is accompanied with a letter of appeal to the President will be included in the agenda of the SP in its regular session today.

Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson yesterday said the SP has passed a resolution to study the possibility of converting the present Bacolod Airport into a special economic zone. He said the Philippine Economic Zone Authority is willing to help if the city is serious about it. However, under the PEZA rules and regulations, a minimum of 25 hectares is required to convert the area into a SEZ, he added. Of the 37-hectare property only 17 hectares is owned by the national government and the rest is owned by Tan, who is an adopted son of Bacolod City.

Sayson said the SP also passed a resolution creating an Ad Hoc Committee that will prepare for the establishment of a SEZ in Bacolod City. If the airport will be transferred, they will need the go- signal of the land owner for the area to be converted into a SEZ, he said.

Asked about the stand of the SP on the retention of the existing airport, Sayson said collectively, the SP has not taken a stand on the matter. If they can be clarified on all issues concerning the airport, maybe the SP can take a collective stand, he said.

He said he believes all the necessary infrastructure like the access roads should already be in place before any move to transfer the airport to Silay should be entertained.

Asked for his personal stand however, Sayson said that, as a Bacoleño, he wants the present Bacolod Airport retained. "If it is all right with the Air Transportation Office to have two airports operational he would prefer to retain the Bacolod airport," he said.*CGS

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