Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the repair of the runway in Pagasa Island will start in 2019 as the construction of the beaching ramp is expected to finish by the end of the year.

“Currently, they are trying to build the beaching ramp. We need the beaching ramp because without that, we cannot bring in equipment. We cannot bring in the bulldozers, the graders, plus the material to rebuild the runway. Now the target for building the beaching ramp is December of this year so that by the whole of next year (it is for ) repairing the runway,” he said in an ambush interview in Pasay City Tuesday.

Lorenzana said the repair of the 1.3 km runway in Pagasa Island is expected to be finished by the end of next year. “By the end of 2019 we can bring the C-130’s there any day,” he said.

According to the DND, the project that intends to develop and improve the facilities and leaving condition in Pagasa island costs a total of P1.318 billion.

It can be recalled that during his last visit in Pagasa, Lorenzana said aside from construction of beaching ramp, fish port and the km runway, the government is also planning to improve the tower, power plant, electricity, solar panels, desalination, buildings, military facilities and sewerage system in the island. Robina Asido/DMS