President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the groundbreaking ceremony for the new passenger terminal building of the Caticlan Airport on Monday— strengthening the government’s commitment to building infrastructure that boosts the economy and enhances travel experience.
The chief executive said the construction for the new terminal will be completed within 24 months by Megawide Construction Corporation.
"The influx of people and travellers is going to be a big boost to the local and national economy. Tourism right now contributes close to 8% to our GDP and that is something we want to increase and that is why these projects that we have are also important,” the President said.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon also emphasized the importance of the government’s collaboration with the private sector to improve transport infrastructure in the country.
“Napaka-importante ng Public-Private Partnership (PPP) dahil talagang nama-maximize natin ‘yung potential ng mga transport infrastructure na magbibigay ng malaking ginhawa sa mga kababayan natin. Kaya nagpapasalamat tayo sa San Miguel Corporation, na nag-commit na tatapusin itong bagong terminal building sa 2027,” Dizon said.
Caticlan Airport, the main gateway to tourist hotspot Boracay, is the fourth busiest airport in the Philippines, handling over three million passengers in 2024 alone. Once completed by 2027, the new terminal will be able to support seven million passengers annually.
“Through this project, Boracay will strengthen its position as a premier destination while boosting the tourism economy and improving travel comfort for both domestic and international passengers,” Secretary Dizon said.
The new Caticlan Airport terminal will have modern facilities to ensure efficient passenger flow, comfort and safety. These include enhanced check-in counters, security screening areas, baggage handling systems, and improved boarding gates to minimize queue and waiting times.
