TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Philippines — Congressional leaders in Eastern Visayas are set to lobby with President Benigno S. Aquino III for the release of P5 billion from the national government for the major rehabilitation of the Tacloban City Airport situated in San Jose District here.

Rep. Neil Benedict A. Montejo of the An Waray Party-list said they will soon meet with President Aquino to lobby for the release of funds for the total rehabilitation of the old national airport. The objective of the project is mainly to rebuild the airport to accommodate the increasing number of passengers using the airport.

Montejo said he and his fellow-solons, including Rep. Florencio Noel of the An Waray Party-list , will seek an audience with the President and to bring up with him the need for a major overall rehabilitation of said airport.

Montejo said they intend to ask for the gradual release of funds for the airport project as the facility is already congested. “We need to make it responsive to the needs of the growing traveling public,” he stressed.

Samar 1st District Rep. Mel Senen S. Sarmiento, former chairman of the Regional Development Council (RDC) of Eastern Visayas, is one with Montejo in requesting for the project as he said, “Samareños come to Tacloban City to take their flight when their flight originating from Calbayog City in Samar, or in Catarman, Northern Samar are cancelled.”

Montejo also said “we would like to see this airport completed during the term of President Aquino which could be one of his legacies in Eastern Visayas. He can release R1 billion a year until his term ends," Rep. Montejo said.

He added that while they are asking for the huge funds for the major expansion of the airport, he is personally asking for the installation of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) which will guide the pilots to land at night, or even during zero visibility or when bad weather condition occurs.