Northstar

NOV 2017 WWW.T 11 R E P O R T — O N T H E A I R THE PHILIPPINES IS BUILDING NEW AND BETTER GATEWAYS TO OPEN UP MORE DESTINATIONS. The government is laying down a new growth strategy of a multi-airport approach to address congestion issues instead of putting one other major gateway to help decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila. This approach is part of the government's "build- build-build" infrastructure development program. There are two current proposals for new mega airport projects: a US$50-billion plan for an economic zone in Sangley, Cavite (28 kilometers south of NAIA) and a US$10 billion four- runway international airport in Bulacan (about 80 kilometers north of Manila). These big-ticket projects are being evaluated even as the government pursues its multi-airport strategy. The new US$76 million Puerto Princesa International Airport was recently inaugurated, which has a 13,000-square meter passenger terminal with a seating capacity of 15,000 passengers. The airport is expected to boost access to Palawan province, one of the Philippines' most popular destinations. The Panglao International Airport in Bohol is another major gateway that is expected to promote tourism in Bohol, a popular sun-and-sea destination in central Philippines. The US$140-billion project, which will replace the small Tagbilaran Airport, is expected to be operational by June 2018. The government is also pushing through with plans to construct and upgrade five airports across the country designed to open up other key tourist destinations. These include the Bacolod- Silay International Airport in Negros Occidental, the Iloilo International Airport in Iloilo, the Davao International Airport in Davao City, and the Laguindingan International Airport in Misamis Oriental. Negros Occidental and Iloilo are prime destinations in central Philippines while Davao City and Misamis Oriental are gateways in Mindanao island in southern Philippines. There are also plans to upgrade and expand the NAIA and the Mactan International Airport in Cebu. The government is expected to decide soon on a US$1.5 billion upgrade for NAIA as soon as it completes a rationalization plan for its national airport development program. There is also a US$4 billion offer for the expansion of Mactan airport to include the construction of a second runway and the construction of a third passenger terminal based on projections that passenger traffic in Cebu will reach 28 million by 2039. The government is already fasttracking the program with a decision to use government funds for the upgrade of the Clark International Airport in Pampanga and avoid delays, even though at least two private companies have already proposed an offer to undertake the project at a cost of up to US$5 billion. The massive airport development program is aimed at addressing the projected increases in passenger traffic in the country over the next 20 years. NAIA, for instance, has a current capacity of 31 million but accommodated 39.5 million last year. NEW GATEWAYS TO OPEN DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO C o n ta c t I n f o r m at i o n — TOURISM PROMOTIONS BOARD 4th Floor, Suite 7, 10-17 Legaspi Towers 300, Vito Cruz St cor. Roxas Blvd. Manila 1004 Trunk Line +63 2 525 9318 to 27 Fax No. +63 2 521 6165, 525 3314 Email info@tpb.gov.ph www.tpb.gov.ph DEPARMENT OF TOURISM New DOT Bldg., JB Building, 351 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-Air, Makati City Tel. Nos. +63 2 459 5200, 459 5230 Email webmaster@ tourism.gov.ph www.tourism.gov.ph Illustration Credit: Shutterstock ISLAND DESTINATIONS

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