San Miguel Corp. said Friday it expects to complete the construction of the interim terminal at Boracay Airport in Caticlan, Malay, Aklan by end of the year to accommodate the projected increase in passengers bound for Boracay Island.
The conglomerate said a permanent world-class international passenger terminal with 12 air bridges was also being constructed.
“For passengers, this can only mean more airlines competing to offer better services, more affordable airfares, convenience, and less travel time. For the people of Aklan, this will create livelihood opportunities, further boost tourism, and improve their economy,” San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said.
San Miguel said the new Boracay Airport in Caticlan could now handle Airbus A320 from Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines and other international carriers flying direct from South Korea, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia.
San Miguel expanded the Boracay airport runway from 950 meters to 1,700 meters.
The old ramp used to host only four turbo propeller aircraft.
San Miguel, through Trans Aire Development Holdings Corp., is undertaking the expansion of Boracay airport under a 25-year build-rehabilitate-operate-transfer concession granted by the Transportation Department.
TADHC holds the exclusive rights, obligations and privileges to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the airport by virtue of a concession agreement with the Transportation Department and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
Aside from Boracay airport, the infrastructure arm of San Miguel also owns the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway. It expects to complete the last section from Urdaneta to Rosario by end-2015.
The 14-km stretch from Carmen to Urdaneta was opened to the public in December 2014 while the first section from Tarlac to Gerona was opened in October 2013. The 49-km stretch from Gerona to Carmen became fully operational in April 2014.
San Miguel is also building Skyway Stage 3, the Ninoy Aquino International Expressway and the proposed Metro Rail Transit Line 7.