In line with the administration’s ambitious Build Build Build program, 28 airport projects for construction/rehabilitation/ upgrade are listed in the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) priority agenda. Of the 28, three international airport projects – Lal-Lo, Puerto Prinsesa, and Mactan-Cebu – and four domestic airport projects – Tuguegarao, Calbayog, Ozamis, and Naga – have already been finished.
The Clark International Airport expansion project is due to be completed on June 2020.
These projects are projected to upgrade the country’s aviation industry, and will ensure greater regional accessibility. In the long run, this will propel a sustained economic growth through an improved and more convenient movement of people and products, and generate quality jobs for Filipinos.
Night-rating of airports
Equipping airports with night-rating capabilities allows them to accommodate evening flights, thereby increasing their daily service capacity. As of October 2018, 20 out of the existing 42 airports nationwide have already been night-rated. In 2017, four airports – Legaspi, Roxas, Dumaguete, and Caticlan – were equipped with night-rating capabilities. And early this year, the Tuguegarao airport has also been night-rated.
Four more airports – Naga, Dipolog, Cotabato, and Cauayan – are targeted to be completed this year.
Construction of new airports
With a 2.1-kilometer runway to accommodate heavier aircrafts, the Lal-lo International Airport in Cagayan commenced operations last March 2018. With this, the airport is now capable of catering to commercial jet aircrafts and other heavier aircrafts, besides chartered flights. The Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) also aims to fast-track the construction of the remaining runway facilities for smoother and safer flights.
Meanwhile, the the Bohol Panglao International Airport is scheduled for inauguration on November 22, 2018.
NAIA Rehabilitation
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport is also in line for rehabilitation. The four-year project involves improvements and expansion of terminals, as well as the construction of additional runways, taxiways, passenger terminals and other support infrastructure.
This P101 Billion upgrade is seen to benefit 65 million passengers per year, and will be funded through unsolicited proposal, subject to Swiss challenge.
Notably, through this administration’s efforts, NAIA, the country’s main international airport, has risen from being dubbed as one of the world’s worst airports into the 10th most-improved airport in the world. (DBM).
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