Bantayan Island Airport will soon be able to accommodate more and more planes as airport authorities and the Capitol are in talks to extend its runway from its current length of 1.2 kilometers to 1.5 km.
Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) general manager Julius Neri told Gov. Gwen Garcia that while the airport’s current runway already satisfies the requirements of smaller planes, it does not suffice the length need of more established airlines such as Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines.
Neri was accompanied by Andrew Harisson of GMR Airports Infrastructure Limited, an Indian multinational conglomerate headquartered in New Delhi, during the meeting on July 11 at the Governor’s Office.
Gov. Garcia welcomed the plan and said the Capitol would be willing to help extend the airport’s land area by acquiring the properties around it. Bantayan Island Airport sits on a property owned by the Capitol.
While the airport has been operational since it was launched in April this year, Neri said there is a need to extend the runway’s length as they are eyeing to offer regular flights to Bantayan which is a favorite white sand beach destination in northern Cebu.
Neri added that they will also put up firefighting facilities inside the airport such as fire station and fire trucks needed for safety since the airport is seen to be highly commercialized in the future.
A tripartite agreement will be signed next month after each party’s role and contributions shall have been put in writing. While the Capitol owns the lot, MCIAA manages the airside, and GMR Infrastructure is concerned with terminal operations. | Mary Ann Malaya