Caap ramps up airport makeovers with 91 projects
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) has more than tripled its airport infrastructure project portfolio to 91 this year, as it steps up efforts to modernize gateways amid sustained growth in air travel.
Caap Director General Raul Del Rosario said the figure marks a significant increase from just 25 projects in 2025.
The projects are spread across several airports, with priority given to resurfacing aging runways, extending and widening them to accommodate larger aircraft, and expanding passenger terminals to handle additional flights.
Caap has allocated P1.22 billion for aerodrome development and another P804 million for air navigation services in 2026.
The agency is also installing airfield lighting systems to allow more regional airports to accommodate nighttime operations.
“We’re putting airfield lighting in the airports. Because if there’s light, they can operate at night. So more flights can be mounted,” Del Rosario told reporters on the sidelines of the Asean Transportation Forum organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.
Night operations
Caap has already expanded nighttime operating capability to 24 airports nationwide, with additional upgrades being pursued at Cauayan, Tuguegarao and Siargao airports.
Other projects in Caap’s pipeline include terminal improvements at Davao International Airport to increase passenger capacity and modernize facilities, as well as the expansion of Siargao Airport to accommodate growing tourism traffic.
Also in the pipeline are the planned modernization of Busuanga Airport in Palawan, ongoing construction of Bukidnon Airport and the development of a new passenger terminal at Tacloban Airport.
More traffic
The modernization program forms part of Caap’s efforts to prepare Philippine airports for rising passenger and cargo traffic, particularly on international routes.
According to the agency’s projections, passenger traffic is expected to grow by an average of 7.2 percent annually from 2027 to 2032, while aircraft movements and air cargo are projected to increase by 6.9 percent and 5.5 percent, respectively.
Del Rosario said international passenger and cargo activity continued to increase, although domestic flight activity has been relatively subdued amid higher fuel prices.
Alongside the infrastructure upgrades, Caap is targeting the completion of the Philippine Civil Aviation Master Plan before the end of the year.
The roadmap, developed in cooperation with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, covers aviation safety, air navigation, security, air transport facilitation, airport development and environmental sustainability.
Del Rosario said four of its six component plans were nearly complete, with work now focused on finalizing the Philippine Air Navigation Plan and Airport Master Plan.
European aviation experts are scheduled to visit the Philippines from Oct. 27 to 29 to help finalize the remaining plans.
