Provincial airports get P14 billion for upgrade

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is allocating P14 billion this year for the development and upgrade of regional airports to support the recovery of domestic tourism.

The DOTr is setting aside the amount from its 2024 budget to improve the capacity of provincial airports nationwide, as the agency doubles its efforts in boosting inter-island connectivity.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the DOTr would use the budget to improve airports in at least 22 cities and municipalities outside Metro Manila.

In the 2024 General Appropriations Act, the DOTr received P1.5 billion for the construction of a gateway in Pag-asa Island, the largest in the Kalayaan Group of Islands. The government wants to bolster its presence in Pag-asa Island to ward off military pressure, specifically from China.

The next highest allocation goes to Kalibo International Airport at P581.25 million. The DOTr was also granted P500 million for the Laoag International Airport and P320 million for Bukidnon Airport.

The DOTr will spend P300 million each for the expansion of the New Zamboanga International Airport, Puerto Princesa Airport and M’lang Airport.

“A P14 billion airport improvement budget will benefit airports nationwide,” Bautista said.

Meanwhile, Bautista said the DOTr is exploring public-private partnership arrangements for the upgrade of gateways in Bacolod, Bohol, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo, Puerto Princesa and Siargao.

In spite of this, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the main entry point to the Philippines, remains the largest recipient of funding among all gateways. For 2024, it was provided by the government with P1.64 billion for its operations and maintenance.

On sustainability, the DOTr signed a partnership with the De La Salle University and Lasallian Institute for the Environment for an environmental project in aviation. The tieup seeks to pursue a carbon sequestration program, one of the methods for carbon reduction.

Transportation Undersecretary Roberto Lim said the DOTr is committed to becoming net zero by 2050 as called for in the Paris Agreement.

Based on estimates from the International Energy Agency, aviation accounted for two percent of carbon emissions in 2022, but in spite of its relatively small share, it is one of the most difficult to decarbonize.