Caticlan Airport Terminal Construction Starts Mid-2025

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Construction of a new passenger terminal building at Caticlan Airport, the main gateway to Boracay Island, is set to begin as early as June or July 2025, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced.

DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed during an infrastructure forum on June 16 that San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is committed to breaking ground on the new terminal within that timeframe, with completion targeted by 2027.

“San Miguel has committed to break ground this June or July for the terminal building for Caticlan,” Dizon said, as quoted by a Philstar.com report.

“I know it is a major pain point for travelers to Boracay, and probably one of the reasons that the Boracay numbers have gone down is because of the airport,” he added.

Dizon said the terminal is expected to boost the airport’s capacity and help reinvigorate tourism in Boracay, which has seen a dip in arrivals partly due to airport congestion.

The construction contract was awarded in November 2024 to Megawide Construction Corp., known for its work on Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

Once completed, the terminal will be able to accommodate up to 7 million passengers per year.

It will be operated by Trans Aire Development Holdings Corp. (TADHC), a subsidiary of SMC.

The project is part of SMC’s broader infrastructure program, which includes the New Manila International Airport and the rehabilitation of Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

SMC took majority control of the Caticlan Airport Development Project in 2010 and manages the airport under a 25-year concession through TADHC.

The development is being implemented in multiple phases.

Phase 1A, which included upgrades to the existing terminal and the reduction of a nearby hill’s slope, has been completed and is operational.

Phase 1B, which covers construction of the new terminal, and Phase 2, which includes runway expansion toward the sea, are underway.

The entire project under TADHC is valued at PHP2.51 billion.

As of January 2024, the development was over 51% complete, according to the project’s official website.