With the airport serving as a vital component of its economic goals.
At the recent Cebu Economic Forum 4.0, held from September 8 to 9, government, business, finance, local government units, and investors banded together to identify opportunities and pathways for investment, infrastructure development and public-private partnerships (PPPs).
During which, the Cebu Provincial Government said emphasized: “As one of the Philippines’ major centers for commerce, logistics, finance, tourism, education, and professional services, Cebu can strengthen its role as a gateway between the Visayas and Mindanao—connecting capital, markets, enterprises, and investment opportunities across the southern Philippines.”
Thus, the forum highlighted a fundamental challenge for growing economies: attracting investment is only the first step, but turning these opportunities into actual businesses, projects and jobs requires a transformative infrastructure ecosystem capable of supporting them.
Thus, for businesses considering Cebu, infrastructure is not simply a backdrop to investment, but is part of the investment proposition itself.
In line with that, sustained investment in the province’s transport and logistics infrastructure is emerging as a critical part of that equation.
The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), operated by Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation since 2024, serves as a key gateway connecting Cebu to domestic and international markets — helping provide the province with the gateway it needs to move people, businesses, goods and opportunities.
In 2025, MCIA handled 11.6 million passengers, up nearly 3% from 11.3 million in 2024. The 2024 figure itself represented a 13% increase from 2023, reflecting continued demand for Cebu as a destination for business, tourism and travel.
This scale of activity underscores MCIA’s role as more than a transport facility, which in itself highlights the need for sustained investment in the airport’s infrastructure and operations.
For the government, strengthening MCIA’s infrastructure helps ensure that Cebu’s growing socio-economic activity is supported by a gateway capable of accommodating demand.
These investments were put to the test in 2026, when Cebu served as the venue for the 48th ASEAN Summit, as the Philippines assumed the ASEAN Chairship for the year, ad ASEAN leaders, ministers, senior officials, delegates and other participants from across the region, many of whom arrived and departed through MCIA.
The scale and significance of these arrivals also demonstrated the value of airport infrastructure that is capable not only of handling regular passenger demand, but also of supporting major international events involving government leaders, foreign delegations, business representatives and other stakeholders.
MCIA also worked closely with government partners, including the Department of Transportation, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority, to ensure operational readiness for the influx of international and domestic arrivals.
Preparations and coordination covered airport operations, passenger flows, aircraft movements and other requirements associated with hosting high-level delegations.
For Cebu, the experience demonstrated how investment in critical infrastructure can expand the province’s capacity to host major regional engagements and capture opportunities associated with them, as well as the reason why airport infrastructure must be developed to meet present demand and when new economic, tourism and international opportunities emerge.
Beyond major international events, MCIA also gives investors, tourists and other visitors more direct access to the province.
And to bolster that, it previously introduced CEB Connects, an air-to-air transfer service designed to make connections between international and domestic flights shorter, more convenient, and more seamless.
In 2025, MCIA also introduced CEB+, a short air-to-sea transfer service connecting the airport to Mactan Wharf and nearby island destinations.
An Overseas Filipino Workers Lounge and Facilitation Center, launched in partnership with the Department of Migrant Workers, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and Cebu Pacific under MCIA’s CEB Balik initiative, further positions MCIA as a gateway for OFWs traveling through the Visayas and Mindanao.
MCIA’s network has also continued to expand under AIC Airports. In 2024, MCIA welcomed new United Airlines flights, while additional international services were launched, including Cebu–Kuala Lumpur, Cebu–Hanoi and Cebu–Brisbane routes, with more in the pipeline.
“As Cebu moves from investment conversations toward implementation, critical infrastructure has to be ready to support that growth. MCIA’s role is to provide the connectivity, capacity and quality of service that allow people, businesses and opportunities to move more efficiently through Cebu,” stressed Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC) Vice President and Head of Airports Rafael M. Aboitiz.
Mactan–Cebu International Airport is the Philippines’ premier transfer gateway to the Visayas and Mindanao, serving as a vital engine for regional tourism and economic growth.
MCIA is fully owned and managed by Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC), the infrastructure investment platform of the Aboitiz Group founded in 2015, and operating critical assets across airports, water and wastewater, and digital infrastructure.
It is the first airport in the Philippines to utilize parallel runways and bagged different accolades such as Best Airport in Asia-Pacific (5–15 mppa) at the 2024 ASQ Awards, Platinum Green Airport status, Level 1 Accessibility Accreditation, and Airport of the Year in Asia at the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025.
