STA. BARBARA — ” Agmi susukiten tay airport project na Alaminos,” (We’re not grabbing the airport project from Alaminos) Mayor Reynaldo Velasco of this third district town clarified Friday.

Velasco said President Arroyo herself gave him marching orders to come up with a feasibility study on the proposed international airport project here. “Apiger mo ta no marakep di sikatoy gawaen, (Handle it well so if it’s good then we’ll do it), “he quoted the President as telling him.

He said that with the various proposals on hand, the decision-makers can make comparisons and have their final choice. He noted that Sison town is also bidding as a possible site for the project.

“As mayor I have to fight for my town,” he told a radio interview as he dismissed allegations he was out to take the project away from Alaminos City which President Arroyo identified in her State of the Nation Address last year as the site for a new international airport.

He said that he was only doing his job as directed by the Chief Executive. “No say kuanen Presidente et tonda kala, di ontunda ak la, (If the President says back off, then I’ll back off)” he said referring to the conduct of a feasibility study and bidding to be the site of the project.

His town, he said, is centrally located and readily accessible to urban areas like Dagupan, Urdaneta and Baguio. It is a few kilometers away from the pilgrimage town of Manaoag and closer to Clark and La Union, he added.

He said he was looking for investors to fund the project and not burden the national government, admitting that he is bound for the United States in May to see an offer. “Pian agla manproblemay national government manaanap tayoray investors,(To spare the national government the problem, we’re going to look for investors)” he said.

The mayor appeared to be emphasizing that point to decision-makers to earn him the chance to prove his position, an advantage over that plan of Alaminos which depends on funding by the national government.

Barangay Leet is being eyed as the project site. (DOS/PIA)