The House of Representatives has finally approved House Bill 8691 creating the Davao International Airport Authority (DIAA) on third reading.
The approval was belatedly announced by Compostela
Valley first district Rep. Maricar Zamora, one of the main authors of the
proposal which has been the advocacy of political and business leaders of the
Davao region during the last four decades.
The approval was disclosed on social media last
Monday, January 7, by Zamora who said
that the bill was unanimously approved by the House last December 10 and was
forwarded to the Senate the following day, December 11.
The Senate is expected to approve its own
version of the bill anytime. If the Senate version has certain conflicting
provisions, the bill will then be tackled by the Bicameral Committee, composed
of senators and congressmen whose task is to harmonize the conflicting
versions. The Bicam-approved harmonized
version of the bill will then be forwarded to Malacanang Palace for the
approval of the President.
According to a dispatch of the Philippine
Information Agency (PIA) in Region 11 written by Mchael Uy, Congressman Zamora
bared that HB 8691 is a major step in
encouraging, promoting, and developing domestic air traffic in our region, and
in making it a center of international trade and tourism.
The bill identifies the Authority as a corporate
body under the Department of Transportation that will undertake the control,
management and operation of the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao
City, and other future airports that will be established in the Davao region
area..
It spells out the duties and functions of the
proposed Authority, as well as its organizational structure, corporate powers,
privileges and responsibilities.
“More than accelerating the development of the
means of transportation and communications in the country, the measure will
further upgrade the facilities of the existing Francisco Bangoy International
Airport and extend assistance in formulating international acceptable standards
of airport and accommodation service,” the solon said.
The approval of the bill marked major victory of many Davao political and business leaders who have advocated for the establishment of the DIAA similar to the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority believed responsible for the rapid progress of travel, tourism and commerce in Central Visayas.
Among the early advocates of the DIAA were the late congressman Manuel “Nonoy” M. Garcia, the late Davao City mayor and later congressman Elias B. Lopez, the Garcia offsprings –congresswoman Mylene G. Albano and former congressman Vincent J. Garcia – and most if not all presidents of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (PIA11, Michael Uy)
