Lapu-Lapu City
January 30, 2025
“Today, we celebrate a new victory in Cebu’s remarkable and ongoing story — one that shows why this province continues to inspire hope and progress for the other provinces, and certainly for the entire nation. This new runway at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport reflects the very essence of Cebu: it is dynamic, promising, and always ready to take on challenges,” remarked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during the inauguration of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) parallel runway in Lapu-Lapu City.
The parallel runway is a 2.56-kilometer infrastructure project designed to meet increasing air traffic demand and accommodate passenger and cargo volumes, ensuring uninterrupted airport operations during emergencies, maintenance and runway closures.
Last year, the MCIA catered to 8.5 million domestic passengers, approximately 2.8 million international passengers, 67 million kilograms of cargo and 99,100 flights. The Chief Executive emphasized in his speech that today’s inauguration comes at an opportune time, coinciding with the preparations for critical repairs on the airport’s first runway scheduled to begin this May.
“For the first time in our nation’s aviation history, we embark on a major repair of an airport’s first runway without impeding ongoing operations. It is a testament to what passion for excellence, meticulous preparation, and consistent efforts can achieve,” he stated.
By 2028, this runway is expected to operate simultaneously with the first runway, ensuring greater efficiency and capacity to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving aviation industry. With both runways in operation, MCIA can accommodate up to 18 million passengers per year.
The President further noted that this project is part of a broader vision to advance the country’s infrastructure. Through the Aviation Infrastructure Program, the government has allocated PhP7.7 billion in this year’s budget to upgrade 15 airports nationwide. Furthermore, flagship public-private partnership (PPP) airport projects have been implemented to develop the country’s gateways.
“As we look into the future, let us remember that endeavors such as these are stepping stones to a nation ready to take on unparalleled heights… As we officially open this runway, let us see it as opening new doors to progress, prosperity, and the realization of our shared dreams. So together, let us create a Bagong Pilipinas — a nation that transforms, that innovates, and inspires the world,” President Marcos Jr. concluded in his message.
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