With the company noting that it demonstrated the value created by the public-private partnership.
Recently, officials from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development held a management briefing and site visit at Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA)
There, Aboitiz InfraCapital Bohol Airport Corporation (ABAC) presented the progress made since assuming the operations and maintenance of the airport under its public-private partnership.
The company showed continued investments that it made to strengthen airport operations, enhancing the passenger experience, and supporting the province’s overall long-term growth as one of the country’s premier tourism destinations.
During the management briefing, Aldwin Uy, General Manager of Bohol-Panglao International Airport, shared the airport’s progress under Aboitiz InfraCapital’s 30-year concession.
The contact includes a planned capital investment of PHP4.53 billion for the airport’s modernization and development—which will be implemented over the course of the long-term concession deal.
Currently, improvements are already focused on strengthening critical systems, enhancing passenger services, and preparing BPIA to meet Bohol’s future connectivity and tourism needs.
These focus on “restoring critical airport systems, strengthening operational reliability, and improving the overall passenger experience,” according to the operator.
Some of the completed works include the restoration of elevators, repairs to baggage carousel systems, preventive maintenance of passenger boarding bridges, assessments of uninterruptible power supply systems, and maintenance of passenger weighing scales.
Likewise, in compliance with aviation safety standards. the airport has also strengthened safety and operational readiness through inspections of critical facilities, fire protection system assessments, runway rubber removal, and friction testing.
There was also customer service training for frontline personnel, expanded stakeholder engagement, a dedicated feedback management system, additional terminal seating, improved wayfinding signages, and initiatives supporting terminal fee integration.
The airport is also capable of handling bigger jets such as the Airbus A330 to support future route development and increased connectivity for Bohol.
In May 2026, BPIA also successfully conducted BEACON 2026 (Bohol Emergency Airport Coordination Operations Network).
The said full-scale emergency simulation exercise brought together airport personnel, airline partners, local government units, medical institutions, and emergency responders.
Ultimately, that tested the airport’s ability to respond to a major incident, helping ensure that emergency procedures, coordination, and recovery systems are ready when needed and that passengers can continue to travel safely even during unexpected disruptions.
Alongside infrastructure and operational improvements, ABAC has also been working with local tourism and business stakeholders to promote Bohol as a destination and support efforts to develop new flight connections.
“Public-private partnership allows us to combine long-term planning with responsive day-to-day operations,” noted BPIA GM Aldwin Uy. “Beyond fulfilling our commitments under the concession, we continue to invest in improvements that strengthen safety, enhance the passenger experience, and prepare Bohol-Panglao International Airport to support the province’s continued growth.”
He also stressed that every enhancement dome at the airport is aligned with their goal of “creating greater value for the traveling public and for Bohol.”
Meanwhile, for his part, DEPDev Undersecretary Joseph Capuno underscored: “Well-planned infrastructure creates opportunities that extend far beyond the facility itself.”
For him, the continued improvements at Bohol-Panglao International Airport show how public-private partnerships can strengthen connectivity, support tourism, and improve the overall travel experience.
All, while also contributing to the long-term development goals of both the province and the country, he added.
BPIA’s role as Bohol’s primary gateway continues to grow, with the airport having served more than 2.16 million passengers since the transition of operations.
