Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said that the plan to purchase a Cessna 206 light plane is now “good as approved”.

“It’s not a luxury, it is a necessity, Marañon said, apparently referring to the light plane to be purchased by the provincial government. He, however, said they cannot afford to buy a brand new Cessna 206 plane.

Instead, they will be buying a second-hand one, but with a new engine, Marañon said.

Vice-Governor Genaro Alvarez, a pilot, made the proposal for the provincial government to acquire a light plane two years ago, to be used for aerial surveys, cloud-seeding operations, and evacuation during emergency situations.

Alvarez said the purchase of the Cessna light plane also had the concurrence of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental.

Marañon said they already have a budget for the purchase of the plane, the price of which ranges from P12 million to P15 million. Hopefully, it will be realized three months from now, he added.

Alvarez said a brand new Cessna 206 plane costs P20 million.

The Cessna 206, also known as Skywagon, Stationair and Super Skylane, is a single engine, general aviation aircraft with a fixed landing gear used in commercial air service and for personal use.

Marañon, who likened the Cessna 206 plane to a jeepney, said it has a maximum load of half-a-ton.

In the previous years, the Negros Occidental provincial government usually requested for air assets of the Philippine Air Force for aerial surveys and rescue operations, especially during natural calamities, and would hire privately-owned planes for cloud-seeding operations.*GPB

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