Kalibo airport being positioned to service international flights

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said the redevelopment of Kalibo International Airport is intended to attract international airlines to operate out of the facility, which is one of the gateways to the resort island of Boracay.

“As we develop Kalibo airport, we will be allowed to operate bigger aircraft. There might be international airlines who would like to operate there,” Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said.

Mr. Bautista said Kalibo airport serviced flights from South Korea and China before the pandemic.

“It will be good to have options as Boracay becomes more popular. It is better to have two airports there,” he said, referring to the other airport, Caticlan, which is on the Panay mainland just opposite Boracay.

San Miguel Corp. is planning to build a new passenger terminal at the Godofredo Ramos Airport in Caticlan.

For 2024, the DoTr is setting aside P14 billion for the development and upgrading of regional airports.

The airport improvement projects on tap are Kalibo, Catbalogan, Tacloban, Laoag, Puerto Princesa, lloilo, and 16 others, the DoTr has said.

It is actively seeking public-private partnership arrangements for Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Davao, Bacolod-Silay and Siargao.

“There are also other destinations in the Kalibo area that can be developed for tourism. It would be better if we have longer runways so we can accommodate bigger airplanes,” he said. 

For this year, the Transportation department is looking to complete Swiss challenges for two regional airports — Laguindingan International Airport in northern Mindanao and the New Bohol-Panglao International Airport.

The DoTr is also looking at the development of at least six greenfield airports including ongoing projects in Zamboanga, Dumaguete, and Siargao. — Ashley Erika O. Jose