LINGAYEN—Call it “crab mentality” or plain political squabble but either could sabotage the planned development of an international airport in the province.

The proposal to build an international airport in Alaminos City as already announced by President Arroyo in her State of the Nation Address in July is imperiled as political leaders in Pangasinan continue to be divided on the final location.

Aside from Alaminos City, other sites being proposed for the international airport are Sta. Barbara, Lingayen and even Carmen, Rosales.

Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza expressed his lament over the insistence of political leaders of Pangasinan to propose other sites when President Arroyo was already specific about constructing it in his city.

While the initial funding for the project was already inputted in the 2008 budget just passed by Congress, he expressed fear that last-minute maneuvers by other political leaders might eventually sabotage the project and compel President Arroyo to change her mind.

Although Braganza did not identify these political leaders, it is clear that he was referring to Governor Amado Espino Jr. who has been openly endorsing either Sta. Barbara or Lingayen as the preferred site.

Braganza deplored a manifesto signed by some members of Pangasinan Mayors League (PML) headed by Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico Jr., who is also president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, asking President Arroyo to move the site from Alaminos city to Sta. Barbara.

Sta. Barbara Mayor Reynaldo Velasco, executive vice president of the PML, echoed the proposal reiterating the town’s capability to provide 500 hectares for the airport project.

Braganza, however, said the frequent flooding in Sta. Barbara every rainy season does not make it not an ideal place for the international airport.

“In fairness to President Arroyo, we were first to propose the construction of an international airport,” the city mayor said.

He said the project was already being discussed with Malacanang long before Governor Espino and Mayor Velasco were elected to their present positions.

In the case of Gov. Espino, he has proposed that the present feeder airport in Lingayen be extended and widened to accommodate 40-50 seater planes.

The arrival of a team from the Air Transportation Office in Lingayen on Wednesday further fueled the speculation that the pressure to change original plan to locate the airport in Alaminos continues.

Noel Iligan, head of the team, said that a domestic airport and an international airport are of different categories, and therefore, pose no conflict in the policy.

 At the same time, he pointed out that it is unlikely that the government will agree to fund an international as well as a domestic airport in one province.

He confirmed that the feasibility studies for Alaminos City and Sta. Barbara are already with the ATO.

The Lingayen Airport, built by the Americans who liberated Luzon in 1945 for emergency landing by their dive bombers, was never utilized as a commercial airport. LM

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