The Cebu Landing Field as military airport

Before World War II, the country’s first elected president, Manuel L. Quezon designated the Cebu Landing Field as a military airport.

Decades later the airport was transferred to Mactan Island in the City of Lapu-Lapu (formerly known as Opon). The Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority was enacted on July 31, 1990 authored by Rep. Raul del Mar, Father of Cebu Press Freedom of the New Millennium. Here is the copy of the order:

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 154

DESIGNATING THE CEBU LANDING FIELD AS A MILITARY AIRPORT AND LANDING FIELD, AND AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 73, DATED DECEMBER 3, 1936, ENTITLED “ESTABLISHING A CLASSIFICATION OF AIRPORTS AND LANDING FIELDS”

For the purposes of the National Defense Plan of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, I, Manuel L. Quezon, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers conferred upon me by law, do hereby amend Executive Order Numbered Seventy-three, dated December third, nineteen hundred and thirty-six, so that the Cebu Landing Field shall hereafter be designated as a Military Airport and Landing Field to be supervised and controlled by the Army of the Philippines, subject to the following conditions:

(1) That this airport shall be open to civilian air traffic until such time that air traffic requires a separate commercial airport; and

(2) That commercial airplanes using this airport shall adhere to the rules and regulations that may be prescribed by the Air Station Commander: Provided, That said rules and regulations affecting civilian flying be coordinated with those of the Bureau of Aeronautics.

Done at the City of Manila, this twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and thirty-eight, and of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the third.

MANUEL L. QUEZON

President of the Philippines

By the President:

JORGE B. VARGAS

Secretary to the President