After taking over the full operations of the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) and upgrading, operating, and maintaining the Laguindingan International Airport, Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC) received the notice of award (NOA) to upgrade, operate, and maintain the Bohol-Panglao International Airport.
The upgrade is expected to take effect beginning in 2025.
AIC received the NOA from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on 18 November 2024.
"Our commitment to modernizing the Bohol-Panglao International Airport underscores our vision of creating world-class infrastructure that enables progress in key growth areas of the Philippines. This project is not just upgrading facilities but also about boosting economic opportunities, enhancing tourism, and improving connectivity in the Visayas region, and we are excited to be a part of this initiative," said AIC President and CEO Cosette V. Canilao.
AIC will begin introducing operational efficiencies and investments to increase the capacity to 2.5 million passengers per annum (mppa) within one to two years of operations, up from the existing two mppa.
Further capacity expansions, expected to be completed by 2030, will raise the gateway's capacity to 3.9 mPPA. These investments will enhance the passenger experience, improve operational efficiency, and elevate the airport's safety and security standards, aligning with AIC's vision of creating globally competitive airports that showcase the best in the Philippines.
"Bohol-Panglao International Airport is a fast-growing gateway to one of the Philippines' most emerging and iconic tourism destinations, and we are honored to play a role in elevating its stature. Through this project, we aim to bring the same level of excellence and innovation that we are demonstrating with Mactan Cebu International Airport," said AIC Vice President and Head of Airports Business Rafael Aboitiz.
The proposed P45.53 billion project for Bohol-Panglao International Airport, the country's ninth-busiest gateway, involves expanding the passenger terminal building, installing essential equipment, and modernizing airside and landside facilities within a 30-year concession period.
This further expansion of AIC's airports portfolio in the Visayas, where the Aboitiz Group traces its roots, further solidifies its position as a key player in the Philippine aviation sector. This also marks AIC's third gateway, after the award-winning Mactan Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, and the Laguindingan International Airport in Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental, whose concession AIC recently signed.