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Aboitiz InfraCapital delivered safety and contingency upgrades at Bohol-Panglao and Laguindingan airports
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Improvements focus on fire safety, emergency readiness, sanitation, and air quality
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Projects were implemented with the Department of Transportation, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and local government units
Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC), the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group, has completed a series of safety and contingency improvements at the Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA) and Laguindingan International Airport (LIA), aimed at strengthening passenger safety and operational resilience at two of the country’s busiest provincial gateways.
“Our commitment goes beyond infrastructure – it is about making every flight safer, every journey more reliable, and every airport experience more world-class. These improvements at BPIA and LIA show our long-term vision: provincial gateways that meet global standards and strengthen Philippine competitiveness in tourism, travel, and trade,” AIC president and chief executive officer Cosette Canilao said in a news release.
AIC said the safety and emergency preparedness measures were carried out in coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and concerned local government units.
At LIA, located in northern Mindanao and the 9th busiest airport in the country, AIC upgraded the fire detection alarm system to improve early hazard identification, enable faster response and evacuation, and establish a more responsive fire monitoring network.
READ: Developing regional airports key to unlocking Mindanao potential, says Aboitiz InfraCapital
At BPIA, the 6th busiest located on the popular island tourist destination, technical assessments were conducted on key firefighting equipment, including the pump engine driven starter, fire pump house, and pumphouse booster pump, to ensure system integrity during emergency situations and reduce the risk of equipment failure.
READ: Bohol-Panglao Airport logs first wide-body landing with Airbus A330
Additional works at BPIA included the cleaning of the sewage treatment plant to ensure safe and compliant waste disposal processes and lower contamination risks, as well as the cleaning of ventilation and air-conditioning units to improve indoor air quality and passenger comfort.
“We commend AIC Airports for their commitment to safety and resilience at Laguindingan and Bohol-Panglao International Airports. Beyond compliance, these mirror our strong partnership and thrust toward safer airports nationwide,” said DOTr secretary Giovanni Lopez.
AIC said the upgrades are aligned with the theme “Safe Skies & Sustainable Future for All,” which marked the recent observance of International Civil Aviation Day on December 7, and represent some of the earliest outcomes of the DOTr and CAAP’s public-private partnership strategy to modernize provincial airports.
The company added that the initiative highlights how collaboration between the public and private sectors can accelerate the delivery of improved facilities and services, benefiting passengers, airport workers, and host communities.
In a separate safety-related initiative, LIA personnel participated in an Awareness and Data Assessment Workshop for CAAP Area 10 airports held on December 4 to 5 at Laguindingan, conducted by CAAP’s Aeronautical Information Services. The workshop aimed to ensure accurate and updated aeronautical information, a critical component of safe aircraft operations.
Under its AIC Airports platform, the company is developing a nationwide network of airports expected to collectively handle about 16 million passengers by year-end, or more than 20% of total passenger traffic.
These include Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) as a connectivity hub for tourism transfers, BPIA as a leisure hub supporting UNESCO Global Geopark tourism, and LIA as a service hub for business and logistics access to Mindanao.
AIC is undertaking the short- to medium-term development and modernization of BPIA and LIA beginning in 2025 under multi-year concession agreements awarded by the government in 2024. The program includes terminal restructuring, expansion, and capacity upgrades to accommodate growing passenger traffic, following the development footprint established at MCIA.
READ: Aboitiz InfraCapital completes key upgrades at Bohol-Panglao, Laguindingan airports
