Farmers silently protest against Kalibo airport expansion

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The airport expansion affects 500 hectares in several barangays of Kalibo and neighboring New Washington, impacting about 800 families.

AKLAN, Philippines – Members of the Association of Small Farmers and Owners of Estancia Nalook-Pook-Caano (Napocacia) have been holding a silent protest for two weeks as part of a project to expand the road of the Kalibo International Airport (KIA).

The group said the airport expansion affects 500 hectares in several barangays in Kalibo and neighboring New Washington, impacting about 800 families.

German Baltazar, president of Napocacia, told Rappler on Wednesday (June 19) that farmers set up camp on the track on June 5, blocking workers paving it.

He said the protesters were demanding a face-to-face meeting with Department of Transportation (DoTR) officials over their compensation.

The expansion and rehabilitation of the airport began in 2018 with an initial budget of at least P130 million. The first phase of the project included an airport tower, a 200-meter runway extension and a new terminal.

Protesters said more farmers were being displaced by the airport expansion project without receiving compensation.

“We are tired of promises made by ordinary DoTR employees. Since Napocacia was organized in 2015, we have yet to hear from a DoTR official about their resettlement plans for us,” Baltazar said.

He said his group was not opposed to the airport expansion and all it wanted was “transparency” on compensation from the government.

“Some landowners have received partial payments and are concerned they will not receive the full amount. We need transparency and assurance,” Baltazar said.

In 2021, the DoTR announced the completion of the P48 million airport terminal expansion. In August last year, DoTR Secretary Jaime Bautista visited Kalibo to break ground on a project to resettle affected landowners, which includes 130 housing units.

Kalibo Mayor Juris Bautista-Sucro signed a decree creating a local housing committee tasked with identifying beneficiaries. The final list has not yet been submitted to the DoTR. – Rappler.com