Panglao, Bohol — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the inauguration of the P8.9-billion Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA) here on Tuesday, November 27.
The state of the art airport sits in a 220-hectare property in Panglao Island, which is 10 times bigger than Tagbilaran Airport’s 22-hectare land area.
The vast space can accommodate two million passengers annually, more than double the capacity of Tagbilaran Airport. It can also accommodate four large jets such as Boeing 777s and Airbus 330s, or seven small jets like Airbus 321s or 200s.
Dubbed as the “Green Gateway to the World,” The new airport is dubbed as the first eco-airport in the country, as it features green and sustainable structures, such as solar panels and motion sensor lighting, among others.
The Panglao airport was built in cooperation with the Government of Japan supported and funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
In his speech, President Duterte assured Boholanos of the government’s full support in making the province more accessible to tourists through its newly-constructed airport, which is expected to serve as an alternate gateway to Central Visayas.
“This modern airport will serve local and international tourists who would like to experience the beauty of Panglao. It will also address the problem of our growing traffic congestion and accelerate economic activities in the region,” Duterte said.
“Be assured of this government’s full support as you make Bohol more accessible to the world through this new airport,” he added.
He stressed that it would be the perfect time for tourists to explore the wonders of Bohol urging Filipinos “to demonstrate solidarity in our shared task of building a stronger and more robust society for all.”
When it comes to its architectural design, BPIA features undulating roofs inspired by the world famous Chocolate Hills and the waves from the beaches in Panglao.
With the new airport’s opening, the local government will then order the Tagbilaran Airport closed, as it will be developed into a business park.-
This developed as passengers and wellwishers will now have a smooth transport from the Tagbiliran City Pier, after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region VII launched eight units of Airport Bus on Tuesday, 27 November 2018.
These high-quality buses will ferry passengers from the pier to the BPIA, and vice versa, with limited stops along the way.
The bus units were simultaneously launched with the inaugural opening of the BPIA, the country’s first “eco-airport” which commences domestic and international flight operations today, 28 November 2018.-NewsLine
