Panglao airport 81.21% done

August opening on schedule

TAGBILARAN CITY, April 28 (PIA)—Construction at the New Bohol Airport for Sustainable Environment Project (Panglao Airport) may be suffering some 8.40 % variance from its planned accomplishment as of March 31, 2018, but Department of Transportation (DOTr) authorities said they can still make it in time for the August 2018 opening.

A report furnished by the DOTr to Bohol authorities showed that by March 31, DOTr should have seen an 88.61% accomplishment, but the contractors Chiyoda Mitsubishi Joint Ventures accomplished 81.21%, resulting to the slight variance.

But DOTr Panglao Airport Project manager Engr. Edgardo Mangalili said has seen worse. 

At the beginning of the 2012 proposed P7, 440, 290, 000.00 project, there was so much negative slippage that contractors had to get their workers on overtime shifts to be able to beat the monthly timelines, Mangalili said. 

The new airport project manager told Manila-based media during a recent updating and project presentation inside the project management office conference hall, new Panglao airport complex that the catch-up and crashed program of the project to keep up with the revised implementation schedule significantly cut the slippage and kept it up to date.

He added that the contractors are still willing to speed up the project despite an extended deadline for completion. 

From the 2012 proposed plan, a change in scope of the initial project has significantly moved schedules.

From the initial runway length of two kilometres, a revised plan now included an additional 500 meters of runway, and an expanded Passenger Terminal Building that would now be a two-story building almost doubling up the floor space. 

The plan revision, which the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) approved in September of 2016, now entails a bigger budget of P7, 773,000.

The project also stretches from 50.50 man-months starting from May 5, 2014 to 62.90 months, according to DOTr and its consultants: Japan Airport Consultants.

Originally set for completion by December 21, 2017, the revision moves the completion to June 2, 2018.

By March 31, 2018, Engr. Mangalili, in fact said that the contractors accomplished ahead in its civil works timeline, 2.9% more as its planned accomplishment for the period was pegged at 32.74. 

To date, contractors have completed the 2.5 kilometer runway, two taxiways and the airport apron, Engr. Mangalili showed photos to prove his point. 

From its building works, contractors have accomplished 28.50% even as they have accomplished the putting up of the 2nd layer of roofing for the Passenger Terminal Building as of now, the project engineer said. 

The administration building and the control tower are on scheduled timelines and its Fire Rescue and Maintenance Building is also up. 

For its utility works, the airport contractors have completed 5.35%, with a 1.5% setback from its planned accomplishment for the period. 

The contractors have put up the power house, sewage treatment plant and its related structure as well as its material recovery facility.

And as the new airport would be a huge upgrade from the sunrise to sunset operations in Tagbilaran, Panglao airport would have air navigation and aeronautical ground lighting facilities, which are now installed and awaiting final testing, according to the project manager. 

Up in place are the Very High Frequency Omni Directional Range Detection, Distance Measuring Equipment and counterpoise structures as well as its aeronautical ground lighting facilities.

Overall, DOTr thinks if the airport starts its operations by August 2018, the June 2 completion timetable affords them more than ample time to embellish the airport to make the grand inaugural flight on schedule. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

A progress photo of the new Panglao Airport shows the fully completed runway with proper markings, with the passenger terminal building, administration building and control tower on the top left. DOTr says the contractor is on time with the timeline enough to beat the August 2018 operations. (rahc/PIABohol/DOTr)