A petition for the retention of the present Bacolod airport along with about 100,000 signatures supporting it was submitted by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia to Malacañang yesterday.

The Department of Transportation and Communication has announced that the P5.6 billion New Bacolod-Silay Airport is set to open Jan. 18 in Barangay Bagtic, Silay City , and the present Bacolod airport will be shut down after the last flight on Jan. 17.

Leonardia, along with Charlie Hagad, Lucy Ponce and Rodolfo Alvarez of the Retain the Bacolod Airport Movement, submitted the petition to Executive Secretary Edgardo Ermita.

We were happy Ermita met with us as the president was in Cagayan de Oro, he said.

“We gave him the petition with a suitcase full of signatures numbering about 100,000 from people who want the old airport to be retained,” he said.

Leonardia said they informed Ermita that Lucio Tan owns 20 hectares of the current Bacolod airport and he has expressed willingness to allow its continued use for an airport, and shoulder the expenses if necessary.

We stressed the need to maintain the current airport to further boost the growing economy of Bacolod , he said.

Ermita said he could not make a decision at his level, but would refer the matter to the appropriate agencies, Leonardia said.

“What is important is that we delivered the message to Malacañang already,” he said.

Just in case the old Bacolod airport is closed down on Jan. 17 it will not mean it will be closed forever, Leonardia said.

“We will continue pushing and fighting until our last breath, for its retention and reopening,” he also said.*CPG

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