Frasco eyes airport in Sogod but Pam tags it “ridiculous”

Frasco said the envisioned facility would serve as a backup to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in the event it becomes inoperable due to natural disasters or emergencies.

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He said Cebu’s dependence on MCIA makes the province susceptible to isolation if the facility becomes inoperable.

“Our plan for Cebu is to put up a secondary airport here. If something were to happen to our existing airport, for example, if the epicenter of the recent quake were in Mactan, we would have no way for planes to land. How would we get the help and aid that we need?” said Frasco.

The congressman emphasized that other major cities around the world maintain secondary airports to ensure continuity of operations in times of crisis. “Cebu should have one too,” he stressed.

Frasco cited international examples such as New York, London, and Tokyo — all of which have more than one major airport to support mobility, tourism, and economic activity.

Frasco also drew comparisons closer to home, noting that Metro Manila has four major air facilities — Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, Clark International Airport in Pampanga, and new airports under construction in Bulacan and Cavite.

For Cebu, Frasco envisions the municipality of Sogod in the province’s north as the ideal site for the proposed secondary airport.