MANILA: The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Thursday (Feb 12) said it is already set to implement several airport development initiatives in an effort to make domestic air travel more accessible and affordable.
According to CAAP in a statement, among these initiatives is the studying of possible runway extensions at airports, subject to right-of-way availability, terrain conditions, and safety considerations.
This is after Transportation Sec. Giovanni Lopez ordered that all airports have a minimum 2,100-meter runway to accommodate jet aircraft operations — excluding those with topographical constraints.
CAAP said it is also in the process of advancing night-rating capability to allow safe night and early morning operations.
“These developments will expand airport capacity and flight availability while encouraging competition that will directly benefit Filipinos through safer and more affordable air travel,” said CAAP Director General Retired Lt Gen Raul Del Rosario.
Currently, 28 out of the 48 commercially operated airports already meet the 2,100-metre runway standard, including nine international airports, 10 principal Class 1 airports, and one principal Class 2 airport. In total, 29 airports are already operating jet aircraft.
Meanwhile, 23 airports are already night-capable, with Cauayan and Tuguegarao airports currently being prioritised for the upgrade while Busuanga, Siargao, Dipolog, Pagadian and Antique airports are considered next in the pipeline.
CAAP then reaffirmed its commitment to modernizing airport infrastructure through coordinated efforts with DOTr and other agencies. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
