Iloilo Airport Needs Expansion, Not Delays

The recent analysis by the Institute of Contemporary Economics provides a sobering examination of the Iloilo International Airport’s current state, which should serve as a wake-up call to the national government.

Despite being recognized as a vital transport hub for one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, the airport’s expansion has been mired in bureaucratic indecision and delays.

The sluggish response threatens to stymie economic growth in Iloilo and the surrounding areas, especially as new international routes to Hong Kong and Singapore are set to open.

As highlighted in the analysis, the airport project was initially structured as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with a projected cost of P6.89 billion.

Despite public pronouncements dating back several years, the project has seen little actual progress. Initially earmarked as a priority under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, the airport’s rehabilitation and expansion project has been bogged down in bureaucratic delays and contradictory updates.

The original proponent status, once granted to the Villar Group, has since been mired in uncertainty, with new proposals from Aboitiz InfraCapital and Prime Asset Ventures further complicating the process.

These delays come at a time when the need for expansion is more critical than ever. With an airline recently launching international flights to Hong Kong and Singapore from Iloilo, the airport’s current infrastructure is woefully inadequate.

The importance of expanding Iloilo International Airport cannot be overstated. As one of the busiest airports in the country, it is already showing signs of strain.

The addition of international flights will undoubtedly increase passenger traffic, which the current infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle.

Without the necessary upgrades, we risk seeing passengers crammed into overcrowded terminals, forced to sit on monobloc chairs along the aisles, and even in airline tubes—a far cry from the experience one would expect at an international gateway.

The ICE analysis also rightly points out that the utility of this project diminishes the longer it is delayed.

With Iloilo and the Western Visayas region posting strong GDP growth figures, the need for a fully functional, modern airport is more urgent than ever.

The region’s rapid economic growth, which outpaced much of the country in 2022, underscores the urgency of this project. The longer this expansion is delayed, the more it risks stifling the region’s economic potential. The government’s lethargic response, despite having ample time and resources, raises questions about its commitment to the project.

The delay is not just a minor inconvenience; it is a significant impediment to the region’s continued economic expansion.

There is an urgent need for the national government to act decisively. The bureaucratic back-and-forth must end, and the project should be fast-tracked to meet the growing demand. The stakeholders must prioritize transparency and provide clear updates to the public, who have a vested interest in the airport’s timely expansion.

If we continue to delay, Iloilo could miss out on critical opportunities for growth, and the region’s potential as a transport and logistics hub may never be fully realized. The time for action is now—before we find ourselves with an outdated airport that fails to meet the needs of the people it is supposed to serve.