By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in Western Visayas has started rehabilitation works on facilities, particularly comfort rooms, at the Bacolod-Silay Airport following complaints on social media.
In a social media post, a netizen questioned the management over the maintenance of the men’s comfort rooms in the airport’s pre-departure and arrival areas.
The concerned citizen complained that the comfort rooms have no toilet bowl seats, no available tissue paper, no bidets, defective urinal sensors, clogged urinals, stained floors, and have foul odors.
CAAP Area 6, on a social media post, said they have taken notice of the complaints and announced that renovation works at the airport have already begun.
Among the facilities which are now being repaired or cleaned up are comfort rooms in the passenger terminal building, water filtration systems, booster pumps, and streetlights.
CAAP Area 6 has also appealed for understanding and patience from the public over the inconvenience caused by the ongoing works.
The management assured that they are doing their best in making the airport a clean and comfortable gateway in Negros Occidental.
Last year, the CAAP central office allocated P80 million in funds to develop the Bacolod-Silay Airport.
CAAP director general, Captain Manuel Antonio Tamayo, during his visit in September 2023, expressed his disappointment over the state of the Bacolod-Silay Airport, such as security, management and maintenance of the airport infrastructure.
“That’s not acceptable to me, that’s insulting,” Tamayo said.
The CAAP chief then gave strict orders to airport staff to improve their measures to ensure that the airport’s equipment and facilities are maintained.
The Bacolod-Silay Airport, located in Negros Occidental’s Silay City, opened in 2008, replacing the Bacolod Domestic Airport in Bacolod’s Barangay Singcang-Airport.
The airport, which plays a vital role in tourism and economic growth, facilitates travel to and from Negros Occidental and Western Visayas.
Despite being billed as an international airport, Bacolod-Silay Airport is designated as a Class 1 Principal domestic airport by CAAP.
There have been multiple proposals to develop, operate and maintain the airport through a public-private partnership./DGB, WDJ