By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., defended Capitol plans to purchase a brand new six-seater aircraft to be used primarily for agricultural purposes.
Marañon explained the purchase is not a luxury, but a necessity, pointing out the plane could also serve for emergency airlift operations during disasters, and can also serve a civil defense role through strategic patrols.
“We can even offer it for rent for tourists with the rate leveled to the private aircrafts,” he said. “It will be a workhorse for the province or a jeepney on air.”
He also gave assurances the purchase will go through the proper channels, which will include asking the approval of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the purchase.
Earlier, Provincial Board Member Salvador Escalante said the province is eyeing the purchase of a six-seater Cessna 206 turboprop aircraft, which would cost around P50 million.
The amount was also included in the P191.2 million supplemental budget passed by the Provincial Board during their regular session last week.
However, Negros Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson opposed the plan, citing maintenance of the aircraft in the long run would be too expensive for the Provincial Government./WDJ