CEBU, Philippines — With a copious number of accolades under its wing, the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is undoubtedly one of the driving forces behind Cebu’s progress.
MCIA recently bagged the prestigious distinction as the country’s first airport with Level 1 Airport Carbon Accreditation from Airports Council International. Earning this sustainability award places MCIA as the leader in eco-friendly airport operations.
MCIA, a certified 3-star Regional Airport, is located on a 797-hectare site in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan. It is the main gateway to neighboring provinces in Central Visayas and the second busiest airport in the Philippines next to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
However, before it transformed into the bustling transit hub that it is today, MCIA’s growth was already intertwined with Cebu’s rich history.
As The Freeman marks its 105th anniversary, let us look back and celebrate one of the pillars of Cebu’s progress — the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and how it has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's renowned international airports.
Historically, Cebu’s first landing field was a designated military airport located in Lahug, Cebu City, during the term of President Manuel L. Quezon in 1938.
To accelerate the development of civil aviation in the Philippines, the Cebu Landing Field was reclassified as a National Airport under the supervision of the Bureau of Aeronautics.
The airport operations in Lahug ceased on April 27, 1966 and it was transferred to Mactan. After the EDSA revolution, the newly-revived Congress created the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority in 1990, which became the sole authority overseeing the operations of the airport.
Years after, the Public-Private Partnership Project (PPP) commenced the building of Terminal 2 in 2015 and opened its doors to passengers in 2018. In that same year, the renovation of Terminal 1 began and was completed by 2019.
Since then, the airport has gained recognition not just for its architecture, but also for its passenger-centric facilities, which were carefully designed with the welfare of passengers in mind.
In 2024, Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC) took over MCIA after finalizing a landmark deal with GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation. AIC now envisions to further develop MCIA into a world-class airport. — (FREEMAN)