An earthquake that hit Negros Occidental Saturday morning caused hairline cracks on some of the concrete walls and dislodged acoustic boards on the ceiling of the new Bacolod Silay Airport in Silay City, its manager Antonio Alfonso said yesterday.

The areas below the ceiling where the acoustic boards had been dislodged have been cordoned off with yellow tape as a precautionary measure until repairs can be undertaken from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. when the terminal is not in operation, Alfonso said.

The damage was superficial and no cracks were caused to the runaway, and the airport remains in full operation, he said.

Silay Mayor Jose Montelibano said the airport remains structurally sound.

The 5.6 billion airport in Silay began operations on Jan. 18 .

Representatives of Takinaka, the Japanese firm that built the airport, inspected the damage Saturday and are set to submit a full report on their findings today, Alfonso said.

An earthquake that was placed at 4 on the Richter scale in Bacolod and at intensity six in Sagay, Cadiz and Silay cities hit at 2:14 a.m. Saturday, PHILVOLCS science and research analysts Ben Tanatan said.

The epicenter of the quake was 26 kilometers south and 72 kilometers west of Cadiz City and its origin was tectonic, he said.

Meanwhile, about 40 former porters at the Bacolod airport yesterday said they are seeking the help of Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella to get new jobs at the Silay airport.

We were promised help but nothing has happened yet, Dino Bernales, 69, who has worked as a porter for 35 years at the old airport.

Puentevella yesterday said he would look into the concerns of the porters and raise the matter with the Department of Transportation and Communication.

“We will have to make an arrangement with the DOTC to make them a special unit so they can work here,” he said.*CPG

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