The Philippine government has signed an agreement with the International Finance Corp. of the World Bank Group for the building of the new Dumaguete-Bacong Regional Airport.
The contract was one of five agreements signed Wednesday in Malacañan, witnessed by President Marcos Jr.
The Bacong Dumaguete airport is expected to cost P17.06 billion, about P13.15 billion of which is supported by the Korean Export-Import Bank.
This new airport project covers 197.55 hectares of land development in the municipality of Bacong
The other contracts signed during the ceremony include the construction of the New Cebu International Container Port, the expression of interest for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit Project, a public-private partnership for the modernization of Bohol-Panglao International Airport, and the agreement for the new Siargao regional airports.
In a speech, Marcos said the regional airports in Dumaguete and Siargao will bring positive change, boosting tourism and trade, and creating more opportunities in the areas.
“With the support of the International Finance Corp., we will ensure that these airports meet global standards. But beyond the technical aspects, what is important is a positive change that they will bring,” he said.
“For us to move forward, we must commit and affirm that we can do better. We are after all Filipinos. We can do better. This is the new mindset in this age of a Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines). That is why, I wish to share how we are going to make these things happen, how we can change things for the better, and ensure that progress reaches every corner of our country,” Marcos said
“These projects are not just structures. They are representative of every Filipino’s dream of more comfortable travel, better opportunities, and a clearer path towards their goals and dreams. My fellow Filipinos, the future will not simply come to us—we must be the ones to build it, and this is how we will move forward,” he added.
The P16.9 billion NCICP in Consolacion, Cebu aims to decongest the existing Cebu Base Port, while improving cargo handling capacity and reducing logistics costs. This will be funded by the Export-Import Bank of Korea. To accomplish this, a 1,365-meter access road will be built to connect the new port through a 300-meter offshore bridge. The target completion is November 2027.
Considering that increased commerce and trade led to port congestion, the NCICP Project would not only make goods more affordable but also generate thousands of jobs for the Filipinos, Marcos said.
“Apart from this, it will also create more opportunities for everyone as it will provide increased space for port activities,” he said.
The 35-kilometer Cebu BRT that will be funded by the International Finance Corp. of the World Bank Group through Official Development Assistance features a 17-kilometer trunk service, 22 stations, 62 bus stops, four terminals, a depot, and 18-kilometer feeder services north and south of the trunk lines.
The project can accommodate around 116,000 passengers daily during partial operations, and may reach 164,000 passengers per day, once fully operational.
Marcos said the Cebu BRT Project would provide Cebuanos with a “reliable, efficient transport system.”
The Department of Transportation and Aboitiz InfraCapital signed a concession deal for a public-private partnership project for the modernization of the Bohol-Panglao International Airport.
The 30-year concession agreement involves the construction of a new passenger terminal building and other airport facilities, installment of required and modern aviation equipment, and development of commercial assets and services.
The expanded and upgraded Bohol-Panglao International Airport can accommodate 3.9 million passengers, and 35,000 air traffic movements annually.
“We will expand the BPIA in two phases: By 2026, its capacity will increase from two million to 2.5 million passengers a year. By 2030, we will reach almost four million passengers. This means we can provide seamless travel to a lot of tourists—which translates to more jobs for Boholanos, especially in the hotel and restaurant industries,” Marcos said.
“This project is expected to generate P15 million in annual revenue during its first five years, rising to P200 million a year by the end of the concession period. But more than just the revenue, its true success will be the number of lives that it will change for the better in Bohol,” he added.
More regional gateways were also lined up for modernization and rehabilitation after DOTr agreed with the WB-IFC to assist in conducting a preliminary analysis and assessment of the New Dumaguete and New Siargao regional airports. (AP with a report from PNA)
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Photo Caption: Cong. Chiquiting Sagarbarria and Gov. Chaco Sagarbarria have a ceremonial photo with President Marcos Jr. after witnessing the signing of the contract for the funding of the Dumaguete-Bacong Airport and four other flagship Administration projects of the Department of Transportationh headed by Sec. Jaime Bautista (5th from right). (Screengrab from RTVM video)
