A Tale of Two Airports (Part 2): Mactan Cebu International Airport

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"….When we got to the island, we found a 10,000-ft runway built as an emergency landing field for SAC bombers in case of war. I was there in 1965 and that island of Mactan is the best kept secret in the world..." —from a US Airman

One never really knows or remembers to appreciate the beauty of a place or something that he already has, until someone else describes his feelings about it. Since the time I set foot in Mactan and up to now, I know exactly what that US airman felt; and I can see how much better we could be…..when we share the dream.

The Beginnings

Mactan Airfield started as a concept of a joint RP-US base and an alternate international airport, by the late President Ramon Magsaysay in 1956. After the construction of the airfield in September 1, 1961, Mactan Airfield was renamed Mactan Air Base and the 561st Air Base Squadron, Philippine Air Force operated the site. All units of the PAF, particularly the 5th Fighter Wing started using the Mactan as staging base for its counter air operations around the archipelago. In May 1965, the US 467th Combat Support Group was established and operated here in support of the Vietnam War. Two airlift squadrons operated in Mactan as it became an alternate recovery site for C-124 Globemaster II cargo aircraft and SAC Bombers. After the Vietnam War, the US Forces pulled out its personnel and equipment and finally vacated Mactan Air Base in 1970.

I remember my first flight to Mactan in December 1972. I just got my wings the month before and was training to be a Flight Instructor. There were 10 of us and we each flew with our instructors and spaced out about 2-3 minutes apart in our Cessna T-41D aircraft. We took off from Fernando Air Base at Batangas and flew to Calapan, Pinamalayan, Wasig, then crossed the sea to Caticlan, flew across Negros and Cebu islands towards our destination. We were above the clouds most of the flight, and saw nothing much, made an instrument descent and approach and finally saw Mactan for the first time. It was a wonderful sight!

Since then, I would come back to Mactan in various air force aircraft at different times in my career in the PAF. When I transferred to the 5th Fighter Wing and was upgrading to jet aircraft, I remember coming to Mactan in the T-33 Thunderbird. We were in a four-plane formation. Coming in on initial in left echelon formation to runway 04, we each broke right in a 60-degree turn, lowered our landing gears and flaps, and turned right to final. The runway and taxiway were a sight to see from the nose of the aircraft. Mactan, here we go!

From the BOQ on base, I could not forget the incessant sounds of the air force C-123 Providers and C-130 Hercules running up their engines late into the night and early in the morning. The military apron was full of fighter and military cargo aircraft. Like it was in northern Luzon then, the skies above Mactan reverberated with the sound of afterburning engines and multi-prop heavy lifters.

Mactan Air Base was also used during the Mindanao Campaigns in the mid seventies. Flights of F-5s, F-86s and T-33s continued to pound targets in the south, armed and de-armed, using the base facilities. Later in 1987-1989, all aircraft of the 5th Fighter Wing transferred to Mactan while the runway and taxiway at Basa Air Base were repaired. Today there are no more PAF Fighter Aircraft flying at Mactan. The last of the F-5As retired in October 1 2005 after 40 years of distinguished service to the nation..

During the massive US Air Force evacuation of Clark in the heels of the Pinatubo eruption in 1991, US C-130, C-141 and C-5 cargo aircraft used the runway at Mactan extensively. At present, US aircraft continue to fly in and out of the air base for bilateral exercises, including the great C-17 Globemaster III and the Russian Antonov 124. PAF tactical fixed and rotary wing aircraft continue to use Mactan for military internal operations and training.

While Mactan started in 1961 as a Joint RP-US base, the airport at Lahug had its beginnings even before World War II. It was such a distinction for us that the great President Magsaysay’s last view of the wonderful city of Cebu was from the window of his C-47 Presidential Aircraft as it took off from Lahug Airport.