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The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines targets to complete within the year its Civil Aviation Master Plan, which aims to improve the country’s aviation safety, efficiency, and sustainability
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CAMP will have six components, which will be finalized during European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s visit on October 27-29
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The crafting of CAMP comes as aviation passenger traffic is forecasted to grow at a compound annual rate of 7.2% between 2027 and 2032, while air cargo and aircraft movements will rise 5.5% and 6.9%, respectively
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For 2026, CAAP has 91 projects with a budget of P1.217 billion for aerodrome development and P804.391 million for air navigation services
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) targets to complete within the year its Civil Aviation Master Plan (CAMP), which aims to improve the country’s aviation safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
“This strategic roadmap establishes clear guidelines for safety, capacity expansion, and sustainability goals. We are aligning our master plan directly with global standards,” CAAP director general Raul Del Rosario said in a presentation during the recent ASEAN Transportation Forum hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP).
The master plan is being crafted together with the European Union (EU) Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Under the EU-funded EU-Association of Southeast Asian nations Sustainable Connectivity Package – Aviation Partnership Project, EU aviation specialists are providing their expertise to CAAP in aligning CAMP with international standards.
CAMP will have six components:
- Philippine Aviation Safety Plan (PASP)
- Philippine Air Navigation Plan (PANP)
- National Aviation Security Program
- National Air Transport Facilitation Program
- Air Transport Master Plan (ATMP)
- Environmental State Action Plan.
In an interview with media at the sidelines of the event, Del Rosario said four of the six components are almost complete, and they are now focused on finishing the PANP and ATMP.
All six will be finalized during EASA’s visit on October 27-29, he added.
Prior to the finalization of CAMP, CAAP in November 2025 formally launched the fourth edition of the PASP – reviewed every two years – alongside the State Safety Program (SSP). The PASP 2025-2027 and SSP outline the strategic direction of the Philippines for the management of aviation safety.
During ECCP’s Aviation Summit in 2025, Philippine Airlines executive vice president and chief operating officer Carlos Luis Fernandez said the Philippines must have a single master plan for all airports to remain competitive and take advantage of the aviation boom in the Asian region. International Air Transport Association Philippines country manager Samuel David, during the same event, said they support the call for a national airport master plan, noting that some areas in Asia Pacific are also putting together their own civil aviation master plans.
Growing passengers, cargo volume
The crafting of CAMP comes as aviation passenger traffic is forecasted to grow at a compound annual rate of 7.2% between 2027 and 2032, placing the country among the markets in the 25-100 million passenger category.
Air cargo is also projected to grow 5.5% while aircraft movements will rise by 6.9% during the same period.
“These numbers reinforce an urgent operational reality. We must expand airports capacity and enhance air navigation and reliability to support these growth,” Del Rosario noted.
From January to August 2026, the Manila Area Control Center handled 224,931 international movements, up by 2.05% year-on-year, while overflights rose 3.34% to 109,778. Del Rosario noted this steady international growth underscores the need for high availability air navigational services.
Domestic movements, on the other hand, dropped 1.93% to 183,579.
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Del Rosario said CAAP’s infrastructure development is expanding.
Under its 2025 procurement plan, 20% or five of aerodrome infrastructure projects are completed and 80% or 25 projects are ongoing, with a total budget of P895 million.
For 2026, Del Rosario said CAAP has expanded its portfolio to 91 projects, 62 of which are aerodrome projects. CAAP’s budget for aerodrome development in 2026 is P1.217 billion, while allocation for air navigation services in 2026 is P804.391 million.
The unsolicited proposal for the bundled development, operation, and maintenance of three regional airports in Davao, Bicol, and Siargao is nearing completion, Del Rosario said.
The Philippine Regional Airports Consortium had submitted the unsolicited proposal to develop, operate, and maintain Davao International Airport and Bicol International Airport for a 30-year concession period, and Siargao Airport for a 15-year concession period.
Safety measures
Aside from infrastructure, procurements to further advance safety include eight new firetrucks to improve emergency response, with another 16 put for tender recently.
Last August, CAAP also deployed Hyperspike HS-18 long-range acoustic hailing devices across key facilities to serve the dual role of long-range emergency communication and bird and wildlife dispersal around active runways to enhance overall aerodrome safety and security.
Last year, CAAP launched its Safety Reports Portal, which allows air carrier operators, crew, and technical staff to submit both mandatory regulatory reports and voluntary safety suggestions. The system helps catch potential safety hazards early and prevent incidents, Del Rosario noted.
To maximize operational efficiency, CAAP has expanded night rating capabilities of 24 airports nationwide. Del Rosario noted that night operations reduce peak daylight congestion at primary hubs and give airlines flexibility to optimize trip utilization. Two more airports are slated to be night rated.—Roumina Pablo
