MIAA to finance Panglao airport

By Darwin G Amojelar

THE Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said it would infuse billions of pesos to build the Panglao Bohol International Airport that would serve as the popular tourist destination’s gateway to the world.

In a statement, the airport authority said it has committed to invest about P3 billion of corporate funds to construct the international airport in Panglao island.

MIAA’s investment in Pangalo is pursuant to executive order 341, which states that it has administrative control and supervision over all international airports in the country.

The airport authority said it has completed the feasibility study through the TCGI Engineers and has commissioned the Phil. JAC Incorporated to undertake the detailed design to help with the smooth implementation and construction of the new airport.

The construction of the Panglao Airport will not only benefit the province of Bohol and Central Visayas but will also positively impact the regions in central Philippines, which heavily depend on tourism.

The 100-hectare Panglao Airport will facilitate travel in the different tourism loops within the Visayas region and can accommodate Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 jets.

Meanwhile, MIAA is also extending its assistance in the upgrade and construction of the Caticlan Airport.

Tirso Serrano, MIAA assistant general manager for airport development, said these projects would boost passenger traffic within the country, pursuant to the objectives and thrust of the national leadership and boost the tourism sector.

Alfonso Cusi, MIAA general manager, said the authority plans to expand the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals to handle the increasing passenger traffic for the next five to 10 years.

Last year, the NAIA complex, handled about 90 percent of all international traffic in the country. It accounted for more than 22 million passengers for both international and domestic movements, which is 75 percent of all passenger movements in the country.

“By opening NAIA Terminal 3 to commercial operations, the country’s main gateway upped its terminal capacity to 32 million passengers a year . . . The newly opened Terminal is now operational, catering to domestic flights to most local destinations and International flights to Asian countries,” MIAA said.