by Michael Vincent D. Cajulao
ZAMBOANGA
CITY, May 15 (PIA) – Having an attractive and orderly airport can
help increase investments and improve tourism, Dir. Teresita Socorro Ramos,
Vice Chair of the Regional Development Council 9 said during the launching of
the Zamboanga International Airport Interior Design Contest this morning.
Speaking to media men, Dir. Ramos
said it (contest) is a most welcome move to improve the airport citing economic
development that will result from the project.
“Our ports, both air and sea ports,
are our doors to those not from here. The look of these can either persuade or
discourage investors and tourists from coming back here”, Ramos said.
Regional Director May June Bugante
of Department of Tourism-9 affirmed Dir. Ramos’ statements on improved tourism
in the city.
“Tourists immediately notice the
airport. This creates an impression of the place. If they have good impression,
then it makes them want to come back. This project will really help improve our
tourism”, Dir. Bugante stressed.
The contest was conceived after the
Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) of RDC-9 made a visit to the
airport last year for inspection. The visit made it clear that the improvements
made in the airport is still lacking and that further initiatives should be
made, thus, the idea of an interior design contest was discussed.
Engr. George Ledesma, RPMC-Ad Hoc
Committee Chair in charge of the contest, said the need to improve the airport
gathered support since the proposed transfer of the airport in the east coast
may have to wait for a while due to the lack of funds and vital requirements to
justify the transfer.
“This contest aims to improve the
present airport especially its interior to improve services to the public. We
have received a lot of complaints especially in the check in area. At present,
we don’t have any blue print for improvement of our airport. This contest aims
to address that issue. We need to have a master plan for future improvement of
our present airport to make our city more attractive to visitors”, Engr.
Ledesma said.
Ledesma added, “Facilities wise, we
know where we are. We still lack some facilities for our airport. What we can
do right now is to improve the services for the public that is why we are
focusing on four areas of improvement, the Check In, Pre-Departure, mezzanine
and arrival areas”.
Engr. Rodrigo Sicat of the City
Planning and Development Office clarified that the plans to improve the present
airport does not mean that the transfer of the airport will not be pursued.
“The transfer of the airport is
still one of the top priorities of the city government. This does not mean that
we are abandoning that project. It is part of our long term plans. However, we
also need to improve our present airport, as it gives visitors the idea of what
Zamboanga City is all about”, Engr. Sicat pointed.
As to the budget for the proposed
improvement of the airport, Mr. Reynaldo Alforte of the Civil Aviation
Authority-Zamboanga International Airport said the contest was already made
known to CAAP-Manila.
“CAAP-Manila has already committed
funds for the improvement of the airport. After the contest, we will be coming
up with a proposal for the implementation of the needed improvement”, Alforte
said.
With the contest officially on, architects
and interior designers in Zamboanga City and the region are all encouraged to
participate in the event.
Arch. Domingo Abarro III, Dean of
Western Mindanao State University-College of Architecture, said the design
should focus on the cultural characteristic of the city and the region, most
notably, coinciding with the city’s brand name of “Asia’s Latin City”.
“The entries should feature Spanish
designs, but also integrating other indigenous cultures found here in Zamboanga
City and the region. The creativity of designers will be tested here. The
challenge is incorporating all that is inherent in Zamboanga City and the
region, and making them as one”, Domingo said. (MVC/PIA9-ZBST)
