The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has announced the Bohol Panglao Airport, designed to be the country’s first eco-airport and dubbed as the “Green Gateway to the World,” is now 95.16 percent complete.
To conform with its environment-friendly theme, sustainable structures were used, along with solar panels on the roof of the Passenger Terminal Building which will provide 30 percent of its electrical requirements, CAAP said Thursday.
The Bohol Panglao Airport also stood out for its Sewage Treatment Plant that is currently at 99.72 percent and expected to be completed by Oct. 18.
The airport is expected to accommodate more than two million passengers in its opening year alone, from 800,000 passengers currently being accommodated by the Tagbilaran airport.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade recently 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—in order to ensure that the project will be completed as scheduled.
Tugade said the airport could accommodate seven aircraft at one time, including large aircraft for international flights, and was 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.
Tagbilaran Airport, especially its runway, was 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.