EDITORIAL - Stranded in Boracay

Adventurous types may consider being stranded on a resort island part of the appeal of visiting developing countries. But the typical tourist will be dismayed by the inconvenience of being stranded overnight, even in scenic Boracay, because flights can’t land or take off while the airport tarmac is being repaired.

Boracay is one of the most developed tourist destinations in the country. But access to the popular island resort, with its beaches of powdery white sand, has not matched the pace of development in terms of accommodations, telecommunications and forms of entertainment.

Last month a plane overshot the short runway in Caticlan, which is the airport nearest to Boracay. This prompted the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to designate Caticlan as a one-way airport, consequently shortening the portion of the runway that could be used. Airlines with planes too big for the runway moved all their operations to the alternative airport in Kalibo, which is a two-hour drive from Caticlan.

With only one airport left for the thousands of people visiting Boracay, aviation authorities closed the Kalibo airport last Sunday afternoon, citing the runway’s “damaged asphalt” as the reason. The closure forced the cancellation of 14 Kalibo-bound flights. Another flight was diverted to Iloilo before being made to return to Manila.

Safety comes first, and aviation authorities can argue that a damaged runway can put planes at risk on landing or takeoff. But the incident should give urgency to the upgrading of the country’s airports, especially those serving busy destinations such as Boracay.

The country is already lagging behind its neighbors in the quality of international airport facilities. The most recent effort to add a third terminal at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport remains bogged down in litigation. Portions of Terminal 3 were crumbling from disuse when it was finally opened. NAIA is the principal gateway to the Philippines. If upgrading it is such a Herculean task for the government, smaller airports such as those in Kalibo and Caticlan should pose less of a challenge.