September 12, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The federal government could undertake the growth of runways for regional airports in Busuanga and Siargao to allow them to land bigger plane, which is vital to lowering fares for passengers.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is evaluating whether or not it ought to broaden the runways of the Francisco B. Reyes Airport in Busuanga and Sayak Airport in Siargao previous to their eventual switch to non-public palms.
CAAP director basic Raul del Rosario stated his company needs to make the airports in Busuanga and Siargao able to dealing with jetliners like Airbus A320, which might transport as many as 180 passengers per flight.
Presently, the 2 airports are restricted to touchdown turboprops, which might solely fly as much as 80 passengers. This restriction is making it tough for airways to convey down fares to Busuanga — which ends up in island paradise Coron — and browsing haven Siargao.
“CAAP is aware of what to do with [these gateways] as a result of it’s simply lengthening and increasing to accommodate Airbus A320s. The A320 is a heavier plane, so it might carry extra individuals. That is going to decrease fares. That is what they name jet economic system,” Del Rosario stated.
Nevertheless, Del Rosario stated there are points that CAAP has to take care of in widening the runways for Busuanga and Siargao airports primarily based on its preliminary research.
In Busuanga, the runway could must be reoriented whether it is prolonged, as CAAP could face proper–of–means points within the present alignment.
In Siargao, the company has to work with the Division of Atmosphere and Pure Assets in clearing the mangrove the place the extension is proposed to be constructed.
The Busuanga and Siargao airports are each being eyed by the personal sector for operations and upkeep. The Udenna Group is providing a P1.35-billion funding to handle the Busuanga Airport, seeing potential within the demand for air journey to Coron.
Likewise, the Philippine Regional Airports Consortium is pitching a P16-billion takeover of the Davao, Bicol and Siargao gateways. The proponent, led by the Gokongwei and Gotianun teams, needs to improve the Siargao Airport and make it jet-capable.
Just lately, the Division of Transportation (DOTr) initiated talks with airways to deal with how fares to home locations might be lowered in time for the vacation season.
The DOTr is questioning why fares to Siargao, for example, can climb to as a lot as P30,000 per roundtrip, beating charges to worldwide cities like Bangkok, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
