THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) is seeking contractors for P1.24 billion worth of upgrades at airports in Tacloban and Busuanga, as it moves to expand capacity amid growing air travel demand.
In separate bidding notices on Tuesday, the DOTr allocated P841.75 million for improvements at Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban, Leyte, and P402.55 million for Francisco B. Reyes Airport in Busuanga, Palawan.
The bulk of the funding will go to Tacloban Airport, one of the country’s busiest regional gateways.
Of the P841.75-million allocation, P696.25 million will finance the rehabilitation and improvement of airside facilities, including an asphalt overlay of the runway and the construction of concrete canal covers.
Another P145.50 million will be used to complete airport facilities, including a motor pool and maintenance building, a rescue and firefighting facility, and a materials recovery facility, as well as landscaping and greening works.
The DOTr has set a 300-day completion period for the Tacloban airside improvements and 510 days for the airport building facilities.
Tacloban Airport handled 1.65 million passengers in 2025, making it the country’s fifth-busiest regional airport that year, according to data from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
The DOTr has also partnered with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau to relocate mangroves affected by the construction of a shore-protection structure and perimeter road near the airport.
Transportation Undersecretary Jim Sydiongco earlier said the initiative would help balance airport development with environmental protection while strengthening safeguards against bird strikes.
Meanwhile, P402.55 million has been earmarked for site development and the initial construction of the apron (tarmac) and taxiway at Francisco B. Reyes Airport in Busuanga.
The project will also involve earthworks, including clearing, excavation, disposal and embankment.
The government is separately constructing a new passenger terminal building at Busuanga Airport, which is expected to be completed in May 2027.
Plans also call for extending the airport’s 1,200-meter runway to 2,100 meters, allowing it to accommodate larger aircraft and more passengers.
Busuanga Airport, the main gateway to the tourist destination of Coron, handled about 690,747 passengers in 2025, according to CAAP data.
Interested contractors have until Sept. 2 to submit bids, while a pre-bid conference is scheduled for Aug. 19.
Bidding is open to Filipino citizens and sole proprietorships, as well as cooperatives, partnerships and other organizations that are at least 60 percent Filipino-owned.