⌛ Latest Gossip About SM Mall - Airport

Hi!
What's the latest scoop/rumors/gossip about building that SM Mall in the Claytown area?
While we're at it, what's the deal about relocating the airport? Anything?

Thanks,
Don

 

Roy Cang (Bethel) is building a store down near Claytown..

 

SM and airport is gossip and wishful thinking by "development enthusiasts"

 

not building, the building is already done, just doing some finishing touches, its opening on or before city fiesta

 

Rumor has it that SM will be going up in this now vacant lot in Claytown.
SM City Dumaguete Lot Dumaguete City
Looks to me like it's the right size and location to be valid.
When the first shovel of dirt gets turned over is anybodies guess.
But anybody that's been around knows that wherever Robinsons goes, SM is sure to follow.

 

Wow.

Things have changed in 10 years. I know some of you have been living in the Phils longer but I still can not fathom these modern marvels popping up like the pimples on my back.

I mean, I was at the Tourist Inn 2 months ago eating breakfast and I kept hearing Cebuano on the TV set. That's when they showed Cebu traffic and I was like, "Whoa!"

You mean, they got an airport over there too? All these new changes floor me.

 

Let me pounce upon the airport part. As far as I know, the current field has been there since WW II, when it was used by Japanese fighters, no?

Tell us more about the speculation for a new airport. That has boondoggle written all over it! The current commercial traffic consists of five flights daily (ten if you count landings and take-offs as separate movements). Surely traffic does NOT justify a new facility.

Technically, the aircraft movements are Airbus 320s and ATRs. Lots of runway for the latter and touchy (not critical) for the former.

Any new and un-needed airport would be a simple real estate scam such as is the new airport at Bacolod. An existing, albeit limited, but effective facility in the south of the downtown was abandoned in favour of a new airport facility in the boondocks of Silay. Net result: no new traffic and a quadrupling of the price of needed agricultural land in the vicinity of the airport.

Don't get me wrong. I love the new airport because I love going to Silay and have no need to go into Bacolod. There has been minimal benefit to that town. Those needing hotels still go to Bacolod. The cab ride is now longer and more expensive - that's all.

Where would a new Dumaguete airport be located? What (whose) interest would it serve?

 

Folks, regarding the airport, it is owned by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) formally the Air Transportation Office.

Now, the rumor inside the aviation circles is NOT that it will be relocated, rather it is being considered for handover to the city for operation and management.

I guess the cost of operating it for CAAP does not justify their return, especially when they only get P 30.00 in Terminal Fees and that has to pay for all the upkeep, salaries, etc.

So, give it to the local authorities and let them look after it is probably the rationale.

It is one of a number of airports around the philippines being considered and nothing is set in concrete.

In the old days, all income for the ATO went into consolidated Revenue and expenses like airport upkeep were budgeted annually and paid for through the Dept of Transportation. Now, CAAP gets to keep all the money it earns and has to pay all its expenses out of Revenues.

Cheers

 

Heard from a very reliable source, (Chinoy), SM won't be happening for a long time if at all, usual story, too many names/owners of the lot/s/title/s, too many signatures necessary and too many greedy, grasping, outreached hands.
Another interesting snippet from the same source: - SM were given "first dibs" on the Robinson's/Teletech lot, but refused, they didn't think DGT was a big enough market. They were probably right of course, only a couple of stores in the mall are actually making any profit whatsoever, or so the prevailing rumours go, (and Robinson's aren't one of them either!) Isn't that a shock, (oh, the irony)!

 

Probably the same could be said for the terminal buildings' foundations too of course. :D