Bicol Airport Lays Groundwork For PTB

8 December 2016



Bicol International Airport Passenger terminal (PTB) break grounds today with President Rodrigo Duterte spearheading the time capsule laying at the airport complex.

The airport terminal project was upgraded by the Transport Department (DOTr) after the Laguindingan Airport experience where the brand new terminal was operating at capacity barely three months after opening itself to the public and has operated beyond capacity ever since. Capacity shortfall was caused by repeated project implementation delays on account of budget shortfall of the national government which also plagued Bicol and other airport infrastructure projects.

The old terminal planning design made possible by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that sponsored Airports Master Planning Project prepared in 1997 was good for project implemented in 2003 with supposed completion date in 2006, but problems in lot acquisitions and budgetary shortfalls prompted project deferrals for 10 years.

The revised project schedule covers dramatic expansion of passenger terminal building from the original 5,250 square meters to 13,220 square meters with Passenger Boarding Bridge facilities, designed to address the expected passenger volume of about 2.15 million by 2025. Similar revisions were being implemented for ongoing airport projects in Puerto Princesa and Tagbilaran and for the upgrading of General Santos Airport terminal building.

The airport construction project will have a price tag of P4.8 billion, and is expected to be completed in 2020.



1 comment:

  1. I saw the cleared land for the runway on Google Earth. I noticed that the future runway will stand in the ROW of the future PNR Legazpi-Matnog line. The railway line hasn't been constructed yet, but the embankment has since been prepared since the time of Marcos. I wonder where will the ROW be changed, or will the project even push through?

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