Post by Wilver S. Gumban on Jun 13, 2007 2:20:38 GMT -5
THE municipalities of Sta. Barbara and Cabatuan, Iloilo will experience another historic moment, when the airplane carrying President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (PGMA) lands at the New Iloilo Airport Wednesday.
The occasion marks the inauguration of the P8.759 billion new Iloilo Airport that is expected to boost economic activity and tourism in the island of Panay.
The new Iloilo Airport is a modern 188-hectare complex designed to handle 1.2 million passengers and 11, 500 tons of cargoes per year and can accommodate aircraft as big as Airbus 330 with a seating capacity of 276.
It is also described as comparatively the best and the earliest ever constructed outside of Metro Manila.
Expected to assist the President during the inauguration are Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Ryuichiro Yamazaki, Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro Mendoza and other national and local officials.
In a press briefing, Philippine Information Agency Assistant Director General for Visayas Janet Mesa said after the inauguration of the new Iloilo airport, the President is scheduled to proceed to the province of Guimaras.
New airport in perspective
The new airport which will be opened for commercial flights starting June 14, is a modern 188-hectare complex, about 20 kilometers away from the old airport with state-of-the-art facilities.
The airport is accessible via the three-kilometer lane asphalt paved main access road connected from the bend at Sta. Barbara, with a 2.5-meter center island barrier planted with a variety of palm trees, eucalyptus among others. It has 82 double arm lampposts for lighting purposes.
The three story passenger terminal building has an area of 13, square meters, designed with complete separation for departing and arriving passengers. It has 10 check-in counters with individual weighing and queuing conveyors, belt conveyor from the check in to the baggage loading area, flight information display system to guide passengers of the aircraft’s time schedule and destination, and a transit counter.
The terminal is also provided with close-circuit television for security and monitoring purposes; and three units of passenger boarding bridges, which can stretch up to 35 meters when fully retracted. The boarding bridge is accessible via a separated gang-way (one each for departing and arriving passengers). Other amenities of the building includes 6 x-ray machines, Mabuhay lounges for departing passengers and VIP room, smoking rooms, concessionaire areas for shoppers, lost and found section, counters for hotel and car rental bookings, allocated public telephone booths and others.
The facilities are guaranteed to be handicapped friendly, with railings, elevators, escalators and dedicated space for handicapped in the comfort rooms. The pre-departure area is located at the third floor of the building, with at least 436 seating capacity. The baggage claim area is located at the ground floor, accessible from the second floor with two units of 51 meters conveyor. There is also a separate section for the waiting public and well wishers at the arrival and departure concourse.
In front of the Passenger Terminal Building is a vehicular parking area with 414 slots for private cars, complete with tollbooth and a drivers’ lounge and rest rooms. Spaces for taxi, buses and jeepney stands are, likewise, provided.
The airport’s Cargo Terminal Building is a 1,300-square meter storey structure consisting of a covered platform, government offices, restrooms and cargo handling area. It is now being occupied by the 3-airline companies, namely, the Philippine airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines. The area is secured by fence with guard house and parking space for clients and operators.
The Control tower, on the other hand, is a 9-storey 35 meters structure that operates and control air traffic for the airport, with a two-storey operation building that houses the state-of-the-art communication equipment and the briefing room for pilots.
For better and efficient operations, and maintenance, the mechanical and electrical buildings were constructed separately. The mechanical building houses the chiller room, and water supply and pump room, while the cooling system for the whole airport is about 2,400kw, consisting of five units of chillers, each having a capacity of 600kw.
On the other hand, the entire electrical system of the airport can generate 2,500kVA supply of power, while the generator room is equipped with 4 units of 500kVA standby generator and automatically switch-on during power failure.
Other buildings and facilities in the airport include the 2-storey Administration Building, Maintenance Building, and Fire Rescue Stations state-of-the-art navigational aids which enable the airport to operate after dark, and the runway designation designed to cater to even bad weather conditions.
The airport’s environment friendly facilities include a Sewage Treatment Plant, a single storey structure considered as the final holding area of the generated domestic sewage. During the treatment process the solid waste is separated from the liquid and process into an organic material (fertilizer) for the plants, while the liquid is recycled for watering purposes. There is also a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) structure for the segregation of the solid waste collected in the airport.
Engineer Manuel Lauden, Deputy Project Manager for the New Iloilo Airport Development Project (NIADP) said the new Iloilo Airport is comparatively the best and the earliest ever constructed outside of Metro Manila.
He added that the airport is the first to have modern, latest technology, belonging to Category F, as determined by the International Civil Aviation (ICA) Organization. This means that the new Iloilo Airport is accredited as a qualifier for international standards. (PIA)