Kalibo International Airport ingraphics (Courtesy of Art Tugade Facebook page)
MANILA – Local and foreign tourists will soon find their journeys to Aklan more relaxing as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) open a bigger and more efficient Kalibo International Airport (KIA).
DOTr Secretary Art Tugade, with CAAP Director General Jim Sydiongco, is set to inaugurate on June 4 the expanded and improved International Passenger Terminal Building (PTB) of the KIA after it was completed on Sept. 15, 2020 amid the pandemic.
The upgraded gateway is expected to rev up the economy of Aklan and its nearby provinces as well as provide tourists with convenient access to the country’s most prized tourism gem -- the resort island of Boracay.
In a news release on Thursday, Tugade said the airport’s International PTB now has the capacity to handle 406 passengers from the previous 344 passengers volume, while the Domestic PTB has a total of 400 passenger capacity. The bigger PTB can also eliminate long queues of tourists who are expected to visit Boracay with the easing of quarantine and movement restrictions.
With the finished airport upgrades, Tugade also fulfilled his promise to generate local employment. At least 236 local construction workers were employed during the expansion works of the KIA’s International PTB.
Before the upgrades, the airport’s International PTB covered an area of 1,584 square meters. With the upgrade, the International PTB now has an area of 2,633.40 square meters.
The extension project now also provides queuing passengers with a 126-square meter covered section outside the International PTB for weather protection.
The improved facility also provides additional space for the operation of Customs, Immigration, and pre-screening personnel, eliminating the long line of passengers.
The upgrade project also expanded the airport space for airline check-in counters to 468 square meters from the previous 216 square meters. Passengers can now enjoy a spacious 608.40-square meter pre-departure waiting area after it was extended by an additional 284.40 square meters.
Meanwhile, also repaired were over 4,000 square meters of dilapidated pavement of the airport’s apron which removed potential hazards to parking aircraft.
The DOTr and CAAP likewise implemented rehabilitation works for the domestic terminal. The improvements include repainting, as well as floor, tile, and toilet repairs.
The Kalibo International Airport is an integral part of the regional transport infrastructure development under the massive “Build, Build, Build” program of the Duterte administration that aims to boost accessibility, mobility, and connectivity. (PR)
