The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced Friday the construction of the new Panglao Airport in Bohol was now 91.62-percent complete.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade led the inspection of the facility and checked the progress of the construction works—from the runway to the passenger terminal, perimeter fence, and the sewerage treatment system—to ensure the project would be completed as scheduled.
Tugade said the airport could accommodate seven aircraft at one time, including large aircraft for international flights, and is expected to accommodate two-million passengers in its opening year.
The Panglao Airport will replace the old Tagbilaran Airport to accommodate more passengers going to and from the province of Bohol.
The facility is designed to be the country’s first eco-airport and dubbed as the “Green Gateway to the World.” Solar panels will be installed on the Passenger Terminal Building’s roof to cover around 1/3 of the airport’s energy requirement.
Tagbilaran Airport, especially its runway, was recently placed under preventive maintenance, repair, and patching works due to degradation caused by continuous rains recently.
Heavy rains resulted in water to infiltrate under the runway and causing potholes and cracks.
The preventive maintenance in Tagbilaran was a collaborative effort between the Department of Transportation, CAAP, local government unit, and private contractors enlisted to assist in the delivery and repair works.
The government is also rehabilitating and expanding eight other provincial airports—Naga, Tuguegarao, Cauayan, Dumaguete, Dipolog, Cotabato, Pagadian, and Ozamiz—to enable them to operate for nighttime commercial flights.
Last month, the DoTr and CAAP inaugurated the Maasin Airport Terminal in Leyte.
Maasin Airport is one of the community airports under the CAAP National Airport System and it is the only airport serving the region of Southern Leyte.
The facility also served as a backup entry point for relief goods and medicine deliveries during the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda, proving its capability and potential to serve as an alternate airport to Tacloban City’s Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport.