Airport upgrade supports booming tourism in Coron, northern Palawan towns

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Aug. 22 (PNA) - Palawan officials have expressed optimism that the completion of the P150-million Francisco Reyes airport in Busuanga Island will greatly support the booming tourism industry in Coron, Palawan and rest of the Calamianes Group of Islands.

Gov. Joel T. Reyes and first district Rep. Antonio Alvarez, together with provincial government officials, are scheduled to visit Coron for the inauguration of airport tentatively slated on Aug. 28, simultaneous with the celebration of the town’s fiesta.

Palawan leaders are hopeful that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will lead the inauguration of the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)-funded airport.

”I hope President Arroyo will lead the inauguration of the Coron airport," said Alvarez in an interview by DWRM-Radyo ng Bayan Palawan.

The Coron airport is one of the airports lined up for rehabilitation and upgrading to complement the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) project of President Arroyo to further strengthen and broaden the country's air, sea and land transportation network.

”The Coron airport is 101 percent finished”, the governor said, referring to the improvement and rehabilitation works that included the extension and concreting of the 400-meter runway; construction of a new airport terminal building; and the expansion of the runway apron.

The project's completion in 2008 will allow bigger aircrafts to land in the airport.

He said the airport will support the booming tourism industry in Coron and the rest of the Calamianes Group, which also composed of Culion, Linapacan and Busuanga.

Local officials are counting on the project to boost the economy in northern Palawan scenic islands that have been among the province's top tourist destinations.