The Francisco Bangoy International Airport (FBIA) in Davao City would be better off once it is being driven by a wholly devoted public corporate entity, just like the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), a member of Congress from Mindanao said on Sunday. At present, the FBIA is still being operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), while the country’s gateways in Luzon and Visayas have long been under the management and supervision of the Manila International Airport Authority and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority, both special entities created by law. “We are absolutely convinced that a dedicated authority for the FIBA will enable the whole of Mindanao to take full economic advantage of a highly efficient international airport,” Pimentel, also a member of the House Committee on Mindanao Affairs, said. The bill seeking to establish the Davao International Airport Authority (DIAA) to administer and operate the FBIA has been awaiting approval since the 16th Congress. The secretaries of the Departments of Transportation, Finance, Tourism and Justice, or their designated undersecretaries or assistant secretaries, shall also serve as ex-office board members, along with the assistant secretary of the Air Transportation Office.

Source: Manila Times February 26, 2017 13:18 UTC