President Marcos on Monday underscored his administration’s commitment to developing Northern Mindanao by announcing the expansion of Laguindingan International Airport through a P12.75-billion public-private partnership (PPP) with Aboitiz InfraCapital.
The envisioned upgrade, which will result from a concession agreement between the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Aboitiz-led firm, is seen to bring regional economic benefits by enhancing connectivity and promoting tourism.
The agreement for the PPP project was presented to the President after signing ceremonies at Malacañan Palace.
Opened in 2013, Laguindingan Airport—located between Cagayan de Oro and Iligan—currently handles 1.6 million passengers annually, making it the second-busiest airport in Mindanao.
The expansion project aims to increase capacity to 3.9 million passengers in the first phase and up to 6.3 million in the second.
“This is more than infrastructure. It’s a promise to improve lives and showcase the welcoming nature of Filipinos,” Mr. Marcos said after the signing ceremonies.
It was disclosed that the project involves upgrading facilities, expanding terminals, and introducing operational improvements to deliver safer and more efficient services.
President Marcos emphasized that the project will create jobs and foster economic growth, in line with his administration’s vision for a “Bagong Pilipinas.”
For his part, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the airport’s privatization will open direct flights of other Asian carriers to Mindanao and vice versa, turning it into a true international airport.
“With the implementation of this PPP project, we will have international flights here and we will request Philippine carriers to fly out of Laguindingan to other Asian countries and we will also request the airlines of other countries to fly to Laguindingan. So, the real objective is to make this a regional international airport,” he said in a mixture of Filipino and English.
While called the Laguindingan International Airport, it traditionally serves only the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Marawi, as well as the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon in the Philippines.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Marcos greenlights expansion of Laguindingan Airport.”
