Iloilo airport gears up for 24/7 flights, P250-M expansion by 2027

ILOILO City – The Iloilo International Airport is set for major upgrades as aviation authorities prepare the facility for 24-hour operations and a P250-million terminal expansion aimed at easing congestion and boosting international flight capacity.

Lieutenant Colonel Valentino Dionela (Ret.), assistant director general II for Aerodrome Development of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), confirmed during the MICECON 2025 conference here that the airport is ready to operate round-the-clock once international flights become more sustained.

“I know that Area VI, as we call it, is ready. We already have airport managers across the area. So for 24-hour operation, they are prepared once international flights are sustained,” Dionela said, though no exact date was mentioned for the implementation.

The centerpiece of the modernization is a P250-million passenger terminal building expansion slated under the 2026 budget, with completion targeted in 2027.

“We will have a new pre-departure area for international flights, which adds around 500 seats. But at any time, when there are no international flights and there are many domestic passengers, we can utilize that. Right now, we have 1,085 seats combined for domestic and international passengers. With the expansion, we will still increase capacity,” he explained.

Dionela emphasized that the expansion will proceed regardless of the airport’s pending privatization.

“This will continue even with the pending privatization. It will be included in the negotiations,” he said.

Currently, the airport is undergoing a P190-million rehabilitation under the 2024 General Appropriations Act, including P140 million for terminal repairs and P50 million for brand-new chillers.

“We now have seven brand new chillers, which are good enough to cool the entire building. If there are savings from the P190 million, we will still utilize them for whatever else needs to be done in the terminal,” Dionela noted.

Broken escalators and elevators are also being replaced.

“Yes, these are included in the ongoing procurement. Once we procure the four new escalators and three elevators, they will come with warranties and service maintenance agreements. That way, if there is an issue with the equipment, there will be immediate support,” Dionela

assured.

Runway works are being implemented in parallel.

“Aside from the P190 million, CAAP has its own corporate budget of P50 million for the repair of the first phase of asphalt overlaying on the runway. That phase must be completed before December 2025. The second phase is worth roughly P400 million, which is the full runway asphalt overlay. This is in preparation for Cebu Pacific’s Airbus A330 for international flights,” he revealed. The ₱400-million project is expected to be finished by 2026.

Dionela said the upgrades are essential to address overcrowding during flight delays and peak seasons.

“Many times when there are delays, incoming and outgoing passengers crowd a single area. That’s why we need to expand. With this expansion, it will be a big relief for passengers in Iloilo,” he stressed.

To minimize inconvenience, works are being carried out in phases.

“In our program, by phasing, we make sure that terminal building operations are not affected. As much as possible, passenger convenience should not be disrupted. Of course, we cannot avoid some inconvenience, and we sometimes feel sorry for that,” he admitted.

The CAAP official also pointed out that parallel developments are happening in other Western Visayas airports, including Antique, Roxas, and Kalibo.

“It’s not only Antique — we also have rehabilitation works in Roxas Airport and ongoing projects in Kalibo. All throughout the Philippines, CAAP is really providing support,” he said./PN