THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it is expediting the construction and upgrade of Mati Airport in the Davao region, with plans for it to accommodate turboprop aircraft by 2027.
“We are working to expedite the construction of the airport… For 2026, CAAP (the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) allotted a P700-million budget for Mati Airport,” Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez said in a statement on Tuesday.
The DoTr aims to complete the airport’s passenger terminal building by 2026. Turboprop aircraft operations are expected to begin in 2027, to be followed by the introduction of jet services after further upgrades.
Mati Airport is being positioned as an alternative to Davao International Airport, the DoTr said.
Work on the airport started in February after being granted funding for site and runway development.
In 2023, the provincial government of Davao Oriental pushed for the revival of the mothballed airport to boost tourism.
Initially built in the 1970s, the airport was left unused and has not hosted commercial operations due to land transfer disputes. — Ashley Erika O. Jose