BORONGAN CITY — It was the necessity of getting a direct flight started the soonest that prompted the local government here to build its own airport, albeit in a novel and most cost-effective way given its limited budget.
But the novel idea of using a modular construction system in the construction of an airport terminal gave the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines the idea on how it will build airport terminals in the future across the country.
Rupert Ambil, Borongan City Information Officer and Flights Operation Chairman of the Borongan City Airport, said the city is the first local government unit in the country to construct its own airport terminal.
"Thanks to the innovative design by the engineering team and the remarkable speed at which this project was completed, the CAAP is now adopting the modular design for other airports in the country," Ambil said.
On Thursday, CAAP issued a statement that it will be expanding the use of its modular construction system to more airports across the country, following its completion at Borongan Airport.
"CAAP is actively implementing alternative approaches to swiftly address the concerns of passengers such as check-in areas and passenger terminal buildings with limited spaces," CAAP said.
"To address these areas for development, CAAP aims to create more spacious, efficient, and passenger-friendly environments that meet international standards and accommodate the increasing passenger volume of airports," it added.
"The modular construction system, which initially piloted at Borongan Airport, offers a sustainable approach to constructing terminal facilities with passenger amenities, as it minimizes construction waste. It uses pre-fabricated structural steel, a sustainable and cost-effective approach that allows for flexibility in design and rapid construction."
CAAP said it has identified additional airports where the construction system will be implemented. One of them is the Laguindingan Airport in Cagayan de Oro where construction aimed to increase passenger movement is set to start in December 2023 with a total budget of P36 million.