P48.4M expanded terminal building at Kalibo airport opened

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Expanded and improved passenger terminal building of Kalibo International Airport. Screengrab from the online livestreaming of the inauguration on June 4.
  • Kalibo International Airport’s expanded passenger terminal building (PTB) was inaugurated on June 4
  • Of the P48.4 million project cost, P19.5 million was used to expand the international PTB; P9.9 million to re-block the apron; and P18.9 million to fund the overall report of the PTB, the aircraft rescue and firefighting shed, and the administration building
  • The international PTB now covers an area of 2,633.40 square meters from 1,584 sqm previously, increasing its capacity to 406 passengers from the previous 344-passenger capacity
  • Over 4,000 sqm of dilapidated pavement of the airport’s apron were also repaired to remove potential hazards to parking aircraft

The expanded and improved passenger terminal building (PTB) of the Kalibo International Airport in Aklan was inaugurated on June 4.

The P48.4-million project covered improvement of the airport’s PTB and apron, according to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines director-general Jim Sydiongco in a speech during the inauguration.

The upgraded gateway is expected to boost the economy of Aklan and nearby provinces, and provide tourists with a convenient access to Boracay, one of the country’s top tourist island destinations.

Of the total cost, Sydiongco said P19.5 million was utilized to expand the international PTB while P9.9 million was used to re-block the apron, both works completed in September 2020.

Another P18.9 million was allocated for the overall report of the PTB, the aircraft rescue and firefighting shed, and the administration building, which were completed on June 2, 2021.

The expanded international PTB covers an area of 2,633.40 square meters (sqm) from 1,584 sqm previously, increasing its capacity to 406 passengers from the previous 344-passenger capacity. The domestic PTB, meanwhile, has a 400-passenger capacity.

The expansion now also provides queuing passengers with a 126-sqm covered section outside the international PTB for weather protection. There are now additional space for the operation of Customs, Immigration, and Pre-Screening personnel, which will help eliminate long passenger queues.

The airline check-in counters were expanded to 468 sqm from the previous 216 sqm, while the pre-departure wing is now bigger at 608.40 sqm.

Moreover, over 4,000 sqm of dilapidated pavement of the airport’s apron were repaired, removing potential hazards to parking aircraft. Improvement works also included repainting, as well as floor, tile, and toilet repairs.