CATICLAN, Aklan — At the groundbreaking ceremony for the new terminal at Caticlan Airport, President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. proposed an accelerated timeline for the completion of the new passenger terminal, daring contractors to complete the terminal in just 18 months, instead of the contracted 24.

Hailed as the gateway for most visitors to the resort island of Boracay, the president described the new terminal as part of a plan to put the Philippines on the world tourism map.

“Tourism right now contributes close to 8 percent to our gross domestic product (GDP), and that is something we want to increase,” he enthused in his speech during the momentous event.
“It's already in my schedule—(in) 24 months, I am coming to cut the ribbon. Kung puwedeng gawing 18, I won’t complain,” he stated candidly.

“Masarap kausap itong Megawide . . . Hindi sila umaatras sa challenge," he added as encouragement to the project's contractors.

To be managed by San Miguel Corporation (SMC)'s Trans Aire Development Holdings, the Caticlan Airport' s design and construction has been awarded to developer Megawide Construction Corporation.

Designed to accommodate up to seven million passengers annually, the new terminal will replace the current facility and enhance the travel experience for visitors to Boracay and the rest of the Western Visayas.
President Marcos Jr. also announced that improvements are planned for airports like Iloilo, Bohol and Siargao, to give them the capacity to receive direct international flights to do away with the need for visitors to stop at Metro Manila’s crowded gateway.

“The idea is to open up the Philippines, not necessarily only through Manila, but on international flights coming from Europe and Southeast Asia, (going) directly to the tourist destinations,” he opined.

“We are slowly putting together the building blocks of our policy of opening up our tourist areas… to international travelers without having to go through the Manila Airport,” he reiterated to conclude.