Iloilo Airport set for PHP 707-M terminal, runway upgrade

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Iloilo International Airport is set for major infrastructure upgrades, including the expansion of its passenger terminal and the rehabilitation of its runway to meet rising air travel demand.

Valentino Dionela of the Aerodrome Development and Management Service of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said the agency has allocated PHP 707 million for ongoing and upcoming improvements.

He said CAAP will expand the airport’s passenger terminal building with a proposed cost of PHP 250 million, earmarked in the 2026 national budget.

The expansion will serve as a dedicated pre-departure area for international flights.

“We will start procurement in October and target completion of the project by the third quarter of 2027,” Dionela said on Thursday, Sept. 25.

He noted that the terminal’s seating capacity will increase from the current 700 to 1,085 for domestic passengers and 515 for international travelers.

Dionela also said that 250 new chairs will arrive at the airport this week, and 50 new pushcarts are expected by the third week of October.

The runway will also undergo rehabilitation, with a two-phase asphalt overlay funded through CAAP’s 2025 budget.

(The runway at Iloilo International Airport is designated 02/20, meaning it has two opposite directional headings—roughly 020 degrees and 200 degrees—used for aircraft takeoff and landing depending on wind conditions.

This single runway allows operations in either direction, with “02” indicating a heading of approximately 20 degrees northeast and “20” indicating a heading of approximately 200 degrees southwest.

Runway numbers are based on their magnetic azimuth, rounded to the nearest 10 degrees and shortened to two digits, providing pilots with crucial orientation information during approach and departure.)

The upgrade is in preparation for Cebu Pacific’s A330neo aircraft operations, which require a longer, more durable runway to accommodate its 459-passenger capacity.

The first phase of the runway project, worth PHP 50 million, is expected to be completed by December 2025.

The second phase, with a PHP 457 million budget, will begin procurement next month and start construction in December, with completion targeted by the third quarter of 2026.

“There are many plans in the pipeline for us to improve the condition and expand the structure of the terminal building in preparation for more riding passengers,” Dionela said.

He explained that the terminal often becomes congested when flight delays occur.

“We need to have a bigger area in our terminal building,” he added.

In addition to CAAP’s projects, the airport is also undergoing upgrades funded by PHP 190 million from the Department of Transportation’s 2024 General Appropriations Act.

These include the installation of three new chillers, bringing the total to seven.

Dionela said the airport will also install four new escalators and three additional elevators, while the current elevator is scheduled for replacement.