Flights to Aurora seen to take off next year
The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (Apeco) is stepping up efforts to complete key upgrades to its airport in Casiguran by mid-2026, with domestic flights targeted to begin in 2027 and international operations by 2028.
Apeco president and CEO Gil Taway IV said corrective works on the airport were expected to be completed by June 2026, after which the agency would bid out two remaining components: a terminal building and an air traffic control tower.
Taway said funding had already been secured for both facilities, with the terminal estimated to cost P35 million and the control tower around P25 million.
Once operational, the airport will initially be limited to Code 3C operations, allowing it to handle 40- to 70-seater turboprop aircraft. Taway said this would define the scale of early commercial activity, with domestic flights targeted to begin by the second quarter of 2027.
As Apeco moves closer to opening the airstrip to commercial traffic, Taway said the agency has begun engaging airlines, including Cebu Pacific.
He said the Gokongwei-led carrier was now assessing the viability of operating routes to Casiguran.
This development will mark a significant upgrade for the 1.32-kilometer airstrip, which currently accommodates only chartered flights under special permits as Apeco completes regulatory requirements for commercial operations.
These include apron markings, perimeter fencing and the procurement of firefighting equipment.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines estimated the cost of terminal building at around P31 million and control tower at P39 million.
