Government to relocate 4 provincial airports

MANILA, Philippines — The government is planning to relocate four provincial gateways to ensure that additional space can be provided for future demand.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista confirmed that the airports in Dumaguete, Masbate, Siargao and Zamboanga would be relocated.

“We have identified areas where we will build (the airports). Slowly, the government is buying the properties, so it will take time,” Bautista said. “Fortunately, there are agencies willing to extend financing to complete these airport relocation, but we expect this project to take some time.”

He said the relocation of the airports should be finished before President Marcos steps down in 2028.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will pursue  a P17 billion project to build the new Dumaguete Airport. It said the current airport is congested and has limited area for expansion.

The Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport can accommodate only domestic trips. The Export-Import Bank of Korea will cover P13 billion of the project cost.

The DOTr said the government may need P8.25 billion to build a new airport in Masbate that can accommodate bigger aircraft.

The government is also considering relocating the airports in Siargao and Zamboanga to boost their local economies.