BORONGAN CITY — The Department of Transportation and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines will embark on expansion of the Borongan City Domestic Airport to be able to accommodate bigger airplanes.

House Minority Leader and 4Ps Partylist Rep. Marcelino Libanan said the General Appropriations Act of 2024 earmarked a total of P240 million for the improvement of the airport.

Libanan said the GAA 2024 had allocated P200 million to increase the length of the runway by 600 meters from its present 1.3 kms length.

“Once completed, the 1.9-km runway should be able to accommodate airbuses,” he said. “We are expecting an increase in the number of air passengers in the years to come.”

Libanan said the bidding for the runway expansion is scheduled on 22 July.

He added that aside from expanding the runway, the 2024 budget also allocated P40 million for the construction of the airport perimeter fence.

Libanan said there are already discussions with officials of Philippine Airlines to increase the number of flights from the city to Cebu and Metro Manila to three from the present two flights a week — which is every Monday and Friday.

“Starting in August, there will already be three flights a week,” he said.

Libanan said that for next year’s budget, he will work on an additional budget for Borongan City airport to fund the putting of navigational lights on the runway so that planes will be able to land even at night time.