The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Jinky Jorgio
As the nation celebrates National Heroes’ Day, the Marcos administration continues to deliver on its promises.
One of them will benefit both travel and tourism in the regions as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) reported the completion of P6.6 billion worth of airport projects in compliance with President Marcos’ directive to invest in aviation structure.
In a report obtained by The Market Monitor, the DOTr said it has spent P6.6 billion for a total of 46 projects to date, distributing the amount for various upgrades of airports in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The largest of these airports’ projects include the construction of new facilities at the Vigan Airport and the establishment of another taxiway at the Davao International Airport.
The agency has also rehabilitated the passenger terminal buildings of the airports in Butuan and General Santos City.
It also enhanced the gateways to Bacolod, Basco, Busuanga, Cauayan, Cuyo, Laoag, and Palanan.
More projects are underway intending to build up inter-island connectivity.
Based on reports, the DOTs is seeking P12 billion from Congress for 2025 for its aviation infrastructure program, still prioritizing the rehabilitation and upgrade of regional airports.
Improving provincial gateways is seen as one way to disperse economic growth, as it encourages airlines to connect the regions to the rest of the archipelago and outside the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific announced earlier this week that it is bringing back overseas flights from Davao, sparing travelers from Mindanao the hassle of having to head to Manila to fly abroad.
Cebu Pacific will begin flying direct between Davao and Bangkok, by way of Don Mueang, on October 28.
The route will be flown thrice a week, giving travelers multiple options in reaching tourist hotspot Thailand.
The low-cost airline will also be flying daily from Davao to Caticlan and Puerto Princessa starting October 27 to link Mindanao to the most popular travel destinations in the Philippines.
It will also start flying weekly between Davao and Tacloban on October 29.