The meeting held by the Retain Bacolod Airport Movement with business tycoon Lucio Tan and Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza in Manila on the proposed retention of the Bacolod Airport brought positive developments, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said yesterday.

The Mayor had earlier said that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo gave a nod to his appeal for the retention and reopening of the Bacolod Airport during the League of Cities of the Philippines meeting in Malacañang Monday where she had joined them.

During their meeting Tuesday with Philippine Airlines president Lucio Tan, who owns 20 hectares of the 37 hectares airport property in Bacolod City , Leonardia said the former is all out for the retention of the Bacolod Airport , including the continued operation of Air Philippines .

He said Tan is agreeable because it will be more convenient for the people of Bacolod , and that they reminded him that he is an adopted son of the city.

Leonardia said Tan is even willing to spend for the operation of the airport and he noted that the airport in Silay City is quite a distance from Bacolod .

The Silay City proper is about 14 kilometers from Bacolod City , while the new airport is about 5 kms from the Silay proper.

Leonardia said, “We were very encouraged by his position, which is actually consistent with his original position ever since we brought the subject matter to him a month ago.”

Meanwhile, Mendoza will create a team from the Department of Transportation and Communication that will sit down with its counterpart in Bacolod City so that talks can be held immediately to explore and thresh out technicalities, administrative matters, legalities and even security, he said.

Leonardia said this is a very positive development for their crusade and definitely another leap forward. He said the meeting with Mendoza yesterday was held at the DOTC Office, together with RBAM convenors Rodolfo “Babes” Alvarez, Charlie Hagad, who has been flying for more than 25 years in Dallas , Texas , and Lucy Ponce.

“We hope we can settle all this and we are optimistic about the final results, and it looks like only sabotage can stop us now,” he said.*CGS

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