The Capitol will try to iron out property issues in Bantayan Island as part of its plans to build and operate an airport there.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said a 33-hectare lot聽 was already identified as a feasible airstrip but has ownership problems.
She said she wrote the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIAA) board to inform them of her administration鈥檚 airport plans.
Aside from Bantayan, the Capitol plans to build another airport in Camotes Island.
Both islands in far north Cebu are being promoted as tourist destinations.
Moves聽 to establish feeder airports in Bantayan and Camotes Islands in far north Cebu were first undertaken during the term of Gov. Emilio 鈥淟ito鈥� Osme帽a in the late 1980s.
Garcia met yesterday with MCIAA general manager Nigel Paul Villarete to discuss her聽 plans.
The Provincial Engineering Office showed the plans to Villarete since the MCIAA takes charge of all airport facilities in Cebu province.
The governor said a previously identified area in Bantayan Island wasn鈥檛 deemed feasible as an airstrip by the engineering office.
Garcia said they hope to聽 start building聽 the Camotes island airport on the first quarter of 2012.
Garcia said they need the Camotes airport to accommodate the increase in tourists visiting the island.
Provincial Engr. Eulogio Pelayre also cited the聽 increasing number of聽 resorts there.
鈥淲hen you talk about airports, the movement is fast, not only in goods but also the people and the circulation of economic activities in the area,鈥� he said.
Pelayre said they want to build an airport similar to that in Boracay Island.聽 /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus