Cagayan Int’l Airport to open Q4

MANILA, Philippines - The Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) is aiming to open the Cagayan International Airport in the fourth quarter this year.

The $34.2-million Cagayan International Airport, which is scheduled to open in the last quarter of the year, is expected  to provide investors, tourists and residents of the province easier access to the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport.

The new airport located in Lallo in Cagayan, is a joint venture of the CEZA and a private consortium.

CEZA administrator and chief executive officer Jose Mari B. Ponce said the airport’s 2.1-kilometer and 45-meter wide runway was completed in December last year. 

“The contractors are now working for the completion of the apron, terminal building and other airport appurtenances” he said.

The project was initiated by CEZA in 2009 for greater access to the Cagayan Freeport.

It takes visitors from Manila 12 hours to get to the Cagayan Freeport.

From the Tuguegarao airport in Cagayan, land travel to the freeport takes about two hours.

“The realization of this project shall intensify investment and tourism opportunities, especially of related ventures such as flying school, medical and other support system for the airport crew and tourism facilities among others,” Ponce said.

He said talks with potential investors to complement the operations of the project have also started.

He said that a firm has manifested its intent to establish a state-of-the-art park and hangar at the airport to serve the booming business aircraft sector in Asia. 

“Considering the more or less an hour flight from the neighboring Asian airports and with the vast and cheap raw land readily available at the Cagayan International Airport, its potential for this booming industry is very promising,” he added.

To further boost investments, the airport complex is also being considered to be established as an economic zone.