PROVINCIAL Board Member Jeremy Rosario, a physician, lauded President Arroyo’s announcement and agreed in principle about the need for an airport in Pangasinan—except that he wanted it built in Lingayen, the Capital town, instead of in Alaminos City.

Rosario, representing the fourth district of Pangasinan, said the proposal to construct an international airport was a big surprise to him as a neophyte member of the provincial board.

While welcoming the project, he suggested that if there is an international airport to be constructed, it should be built in the center of Pangasinan, as he pointed out that there is already an existing feeder airport in Lingayen.

He said there must be an effort to explain to the President that theexisting feeder airport in Lingayen only needs expansion and provision of larger amenities for an international airport.

“Personally, I am more convinced that it is more convenient to redevelop the Lingayen airport rather than going up further in developing another biggest airport in the western part of the province,” Rosario said.

Rep. Victor Agbayani (2nd district, Pangasinan), for his part, said the political leaders of the province must untie and choose where really is the most convenient site for an international airport.

“We would be happy to have an airport in Alaminos, of course,” said Agbayani, former three-term governor of Pangasinan.

He admitted however that there are at least four more towns in Pangasinan vying to be the site of an airport, namely Lingayen which is the site of a feeder airport; Rosales which has a small airport, Mapandan and Binalonan.

Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza said the project will cater to the needs of tourists going to the Hundred Islands, the management and supervision of which tourist spot was already turned over by the national government to the city government.

He said the Hundred Islands was even ahead of Boracay but the drawback of the former was the absence of an airport where bigger planes bringing tourists could land to explore its wonders.