Rota mayor brings airport’s plight to U.S. Congress

After getting a disheartening response from the Federal Aviation Administration on its request for additional money to finance the improvement of the island’s air transport facility, Mayor Benjamin Manglona is now bringing his appeal to the United States Congress.

Mr. Manglona wrote U.S. House Committee on Appropriations Chair Frank Wolf asking for financial assistance that would clear the road for the badly needed improvement in the island’s international airport.
Stressing the need to rehabilitate the island’s air transport facility, the mayor has sent House Committee on Resources Chair Don Young similar letter. Mr. Young’s committee oversees outlying areas like the Northern Marianas, Guam and the American Samoa.

According to Mr. Manglona, plans to construct a new terminal building for the Rota International Airport has already taken the back seat in favor of the more pressing condition of the air transport facility’s runway, which was considered unsafe for bigger aircraft.

“Rota wants to improve all its airport facilities by building a new terminal with airwalks to service such large aircraft…Resurfacing that runway is our first priority if we are going to get carriers such as Continental Micronesia to resume flights to Rota,” he told the U.S. congressmen.

Resurfacing the runway of the Rota International Airport would require $3.3 million in total funds which the FAA previously said it could not shell out.

FAA Airports District Office Acting Manager Daniel S. Matsumoto previously said there is not enough funds available under the Airport Improvement Program to finance the island’s request for runway surface treatment.

However, Mr. Manglona underscored that unless the island’s airport runway is rehabilitated, economic development plans for Rota is not expected to move forward.

“Our worry here is that because of our size and distant location, we will always have a low priority to receive FAA assistance. That is why we are asking you to help us in finding the money necessary to make the runway safe for the tourists we want to come to Rota,” Mr. Manglona told Mr. Wolf and Mr. Young.

He stressed that a jet service to and from the island would only become possible if and when airport runway and terminal facilities are rehabilitated and improved, thereby, securing the safety of incoming and outgoing passengers.

Mr. Manglona underscored that continuous delay in improvement of the Rota International Airport would be counterproductive in the local government’s serious efforts to advance the island’s economic potentials.

The Commonwealth Ports Authority has bared plans to extend the Rota airport runway to be able to accommodate bigger aircraft direct from Asian countries, although this has to take a back seat in favor of Tinian due to the absence of solid plans to bring in direct international flights.

Expansion of the West Tinian International Airport will have to come earlier because of the existence of the casino gaming industry in the island which warrants international flights direct from Asian countries.
CPA has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Municipality of Rota on the improvement of the air transport facility in the island.

Under the draft MOA, the ports authority would initially undertake the architectural and engineering design for the Rota airport and the municipality agrees to reimburse CPA for the cost of the A&E design using funds from the capital infrastructure projects earmarked for the island.