New taxiway, CAAP building at Cebu airport inaugurated

MANILA, Philippines — The expanded taxiway and new Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) building at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in Lapu-Lapu City have been completed, signaling the government’s push to pursue growth and development in the Visayas amid the pandemic.

On Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade led the inauguration of the new and expanded MCIA taxiway, which has increased aircraft parking capacity from 40 to 50 slots.

Likewise, maximum aircraft movement capacity at the taxiway is now increased from the previous 35 aircraft per hour to 40 per hour.

Presidential assistant for the Visayas Michael Diño underscored the importance of the Department of Transportation (DOTr)’s development works at the MCIA.

“My gratitude to our excellent and very able Secretary Tugade and his team for pushing for the early completion of this taxiway project,” said Diño, who expressed how badly Cebu needs the airport for the region to open up and recover.

With an upgraded taxiway, more local jobs are expected to be generated as more employment opportunities will be opened by new locators and new concessionaires once larger aircraft are accommodated in the MCIA.

Also inaugurated by Tugade was the new two-story CAAP Administration Building within the MCIA complex. It houses various facilities for the CAAP to extend more efficient service to its stakeholders.

The DOTr secretary said several other new facilities within the airport complex are to be finished soon in fulfillment of the Duterte administration’s Build, Build Build program.

Among those he inspected were the ongoing construction of MCIA Terminal 2 facilities and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) Corporate Building which could be inaugurated by July 31.

MCIAA officer-in-charge Glen Napuli said Tugade’s visit to the MCIA Terminal 2 has boosted the morale of aviation and airport frontliners who have toiled even through the most difficult times of the pandemic.

In response, Tugade said: “I never get tired of these programs that provide happiness and convenience to the nation, especially for Cebu… Cebu is important to us. President Duterte loves Cebu.”

He acknowledged the support, assistance and cooperation of the CAAP, under director general Jim Sydiongco, and the MCIAA in pursuing these airport development projects which are seen to improve air connectivity, job opportunities and tourism growth in the Visayas.

Apart from its work at the MCIA, the DOTr is also rehabilitating the Bantayan Airport. Repairs are now 94.67 percent complete and the airport’s inauguration may push through in the second quarter of the year.

Meanwhile, the DOTr and the Cebu Port Authority have also completed seaport projects in Pilar, Malapascua and Maya. Four other projects are now ongoing in Bantayan, Consolacion, Cebu Baseport and in San Fernando.

Before the inauguration of the development projects in Cebu, Tugade also inaugurated development projects at the Calbayog Airport in Samar.