PBBM is No. 1 ‘tourist’

Finally, the world famous white sand beaches of Boracay will soon have its airport modernized. Last Monday, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) led the groundbreaking rites for the P2.5-billion Caticlan Passenger Terminal Building (PTB) at the Caticlan Airport in Aklan. PBBM vowed to develop more regional airports all around the Philippines to further increase international tourist arrivals, especially targeting foreign visitors.

Nestled among the islands of the Western Visayas, flying to Aklan is approximately one hour and 10-minute plane ride from Manila. Also known as Godofredo P. Ramos Airport, the Caticlan Airport and Boracay Airport, is an international airport serving the general area of the municipality of Malay in Aklan. It is one of the two gateways to Boracay, the other being Kalibo International Airport in Kalibo.

With the President at the Caticlan PTB groundbreaking rites were, namely, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon; Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin; San Miguel Corporation (SMC) chairman and chief executive officer Ramon Ang; Megawide Construction Corp. (MCC) chairman and CEO Edgar Saavedra, and other national and local government officials.

But conspicuously nowhere at the site was Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco. Where is the whole-of-government act on such vital project if the head of the agency in charge of promoting our country to foreign travel markets is out of the picture?

Or, someone from the Presidential Management Staff – that reviews program of activities in presidential events – forgot to invite the DOT Secretary? A DOT staff told me Frasco was attending another event elsewhere last Monday. It was not clear if that event was held here or abroad. The DOT chief is one of the most travelled Marcos Cabinet member in terms of official trips abroad.

Incidentally, in an official press release sent to media last Monday, the DOT announced the Philippines has secured nominations in three key categories at the prestigious 24th Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards. Frasco cited this nomination affirms the DOT efforts “to further elevate the country’s standing as a premier destination for tourists and travelers.”

While she was not able to attend the Caticlan ceremonial groundbreaking rites, Frasco, however, still has the bragging rights of being able to bring PBBM in Osaka where he attended the World Expo. Malacanang dubbed it as a “working visit” to Osaka where PBBM led the opening of the pavilion of the Philippines at the World Expo. He was invited by Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru to attend the World Expo during the latter’s official visit to the Philippines last April.

While there maybe such invitation, it was apparently a last-minute presidential decision to go to Osaka last June 19. Out of the blue, he left in a huff and returned to Manila on June 22.

“The President will go there to promote in Osaka because it features our rich culture and beautiful landscape. This is part of the efforts to boost tourism in the country,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro announced on the eve of PBBM’s flight to Osaka.

According to the President, the tourism sector contributes close to eight percent to the country’s annual gross domestic product.

“The influx of people, of travelers, is going to be a big boost to the local economy. And I might add, the national economy,” PBBM cited at the Caticlan rites.

PBBM excitedly expressed his desire to see more modernized airports in order to attract more foreign visitors and tourists to come to the Philippines. Improving provincial gateways is seen as one way to disperse economic growth to encourage airlines to connect the regions to the rest of the archipelago and outside the Philippines. After all, tourism generates huge multiplier effect to upstream and downstream industries from airlines, ships, and other transportation services, to hotels, resorts, restaurants and other food establishments, travel agencies, tour operators, etc.

In the case of the Caticlan PTB, the design-and-build contract for the terminal was awarded in 2024 to MCC to construct it. The facility is owned and operated by Trans Aire Development Holdings Corp. (TADHC), a subsidiary of SMC Infrastructure. The Caticlan PTB is designed to handle up to seven million passengers annually and is expected to be completed by July 2027. It will have six passenger boarding bridges and 36 individual check-in counters.

“Sec. Vince is saying that Megawide promised that it would be completed in 24 months,” PBBM disclosed. “So when Chairman RSA mentioned 24 months, we were whispering here in front, we told him, ‘no pressure, no pressure.’ We take it back, pressure, pressure. I’m sorry, we really need for you to finish this 24 months or even less than now,” the President chortled. “I’m sorry, we really need for you to finish this 24 months or even less than now,” PBBM added.

The Chief Executive further disclosed about ongoing talks with other private sector contractors for the development of several regional airports such as in Bohol, Iloilo, and Siargao. The idea, he admitted, is for tourists and visitors from abroad to fly straight to their desired destinations in these parts of the country without having to pass Manila as entry point to the Philippines.

But PBBM hastily clarified this is not to sideline the three passenger terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) now under the management of SMC’s New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC). “And this is simply because – although Manila airport is improving, once again, because of the concession agreement that we made with San Miguel,” the President pointed out.

“We are very happy and we are all very excited that we are slowly putting together the building blocks of our policy of opening up our areas, tourist areas, our business areas to international travelers without having to go through the Manila airport,” PBBM enthused.

It is certainly most admirable that PBBM gives due importance to our country’s tourism sector. PBBM is certainly our No.1 tourist. He is off to the United States this July 20-22. It’s his 35th foreign trip from day one in office.