BAGUIO Mayor Benjamin Magalong is optimistic about the reopening of the Loakan Airport as an all-weather commercial airport in the near future after talks with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
According to Magalong, the CAAP and DOTr have stated that funding for the redevelopment and reopening of the Loakan airport will be available by next year.
Magalong said he has spoken with Capt. Stanley Ng, president and chief operations officer of the Philippine Airlines, to discuss the company’s operations at Loakan.
To reopen the airport, houses and other obstructing structures in the facility’s premises must be removed, and activities such as walking will be prohibited along the runway.
According to Magalong, there are some 300 houses and other structures that must be removed in the buffer zone, as well as illegal structures.
To address the removal of structures, Magalong said that the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) and the CAAP have held dialogues with affected stakeholders concerning voluntary demolition of their structures.
Magalong had been attempting to reopen Loakan as early as 2019, but the project was sidelined due to the pandemic.
