29/09/2025
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ฌ ๐707๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ข๐ฅ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) announced that the Iloilo International Airport is set for a major expansion and rehabilitation starting this year with a budget of P707 million.
Valentino Dionela, CAAPโs Aerodrome Development and Management Service assistant director general, told The Manila Times that the airportโs expansion is set to accommodate rising passenger traffic and larger aircraft.
The plan, he said, includes the expansion of the airportโs passenger terminal building and the rehabilitation of its runway facilities.
โThere are many plans in the pipeline for us to improve the condition and expand the structure of the terminal building in preparation for more riding passengers,โ said Dionela, noting that passengers become congested at the airport when flight delays occur.
โWe need to have a bigger area in our terminal building,โ he added.
The terminal building expansion, estimated at P250 million under the 2026 budget, will add space for international pre-departure passengers.
Procurement is scheduled to begin in October, with completion targeted for the third quarter of 2027.
This expansion will increase the seating capacity from 700 to 1,085 for domestic travelers and 515 for international passengers.
Dionela said additional upgrades are already underway, including the delivery of 250 new chairs and 50 pushcarts by mid-October.
Meanwhile, the runwayโs asphalt overlay will be carried out in two phases to prepare for the operation of large aircrafts.
The first phase, worth P50 million, is expected to be completed by December 2025.
The second phase, with a budget of P457 million, will start construction in December and finish by the third quarter of 2026.
This is on top of the P190 million from the Department of Transportationโs 2024 budget for the airportโs ongoing facility improvements.
Part of these improvements includes the installation of three new chillers, bringing the total to seven chillers.
Dionela said the airport will also have four new escalators and three additional new elevators at the airport, while the existing elevator is scheduled for replacement.
โAirports are more than just gateways to destinations, they open doors to opportunities, drive progress, and pave the way for a brighter future for our nation,โ he said.
โWhile [Iloilo Airport] has served its purpose, our airport must keep pace with the growing demand for air travel, technological advancement, and most especially modernization,โ stressed Dionela.
https://www.manilatimes.net/
