By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Incoming Negros Occidental sixth district Rep. Genaro Alvarez, Jr. said, upon assuming the post, he will be focused on opening the Kabankalan Airport. After previously serving as congressman from 1995 to 2004, along with one term from 2007 to 2010, he returns to the seat after succeeding his daughter Mercedes K. Alvarez, who served three consecutive terms.
“I am back so I can pursue it again,” he stated.
The former Negros Occidental vice governor, who was unsuccessful in his bid to unseat Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. in 2013, said he would have worked towards the transport project had he won that election.
“It is really high time that we will have a domestic airport here,” Alvarez added.
He noted a personal passion for flying and said he plans on flying a plane once the airport is operational.
The incoming congressman speculated the airport will be completed by the first quarter of 2020.
While the provincial government pouring in P40 million for development of the runway and Kabankalan City allocating another P40 million, he also pledged to allocate an additional P50 million towards development of the runway.
Alvarez said will also personally visit the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to provide follow-up papers regarding operation of the airport./DGB, WDJ