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P7.8 billion earmarked to upgrade 19 airports nationwide: Libanan

by Contributor
written by Contributor

AT LEAST 19 airports across the country will receive a combined ₱7.8 billion in capital outlays this year to upgrade their aviation facilities and improve the air travel experience for passengers, House Minority Leader Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan disclosed on Sunday.

Libanan said the funding will help strengthen inter-island air connectivity, boost tourism, support small businesses, and generate employment in the regions.

“We are counting on these upgrades to enhance the overall air travel experience for passengers, attract more tourists, support the growth of small and medium enterprises, and create additional jobs,” Libanan said.

He added that the disclosure of the allocations is part of the Minority’s duty to keep Filipinos informed on matters of public interest.

“We are reporting these funding allocations so communities can monitor the progress of airport upgrades in their respective areas,” Libanan said.

Libanan identified the following airports as recipients of facilities development funding under the 2026 General Appropriations Act:

  • New Dumaguete Airport – ₱2.5 billion
  • Tacloban Airport – ₱741.7 million
  • Mati Airport – ₱700 million
  • Laoag International Airport – ₱507.3 million
  • New Naga Airport – ₱444.6 million
  • Ormoc Airport – ₱433 million
  • Busuanga Airport – ₱415 million
  • Candon Airport – ₱350 million
  • New Manila International Airport – ₱200 million
  • Catbalogan Airport – ₱200 million
  • Kalibo International Airport – ₱195.5 million
  • Camiguin Airport – ₱150 million
  • Bukidnon Airport – ₱150 million
  • Daet Airport – ₱150 million
  • Bicol International Airport – ₱150 million
  • Central Mindanao (M’lang) Airport – ₱100 million
  • Siargao Airport – ₱100 million
  • Antique Airport – ₱99.5 million

“These allocations are fully itemized in the 2026 national budget,” said Libanan, a representative of the 4Ps party-list.

He also noted that Busuanga Airport and Siargao Airport will receive additional funding of ₱70 million and ₱23 million, respectively, for night-rating improvements. 

Cauayan Airport is likewise allocated ₱160 million for its night-rating.

Night-rating an airport refers to equipping it with the necessary lighting, navigation, and safety systems to allow aircraft operations at night or under low-visibility conditions, not just during daylight hours.

The Department of Transportation said the funds will be used for the construction or improvement of runways, taxiways, ramps, control towers, and passenger terminals, as well as for the acquisition of navigation and safety equipment.

The Philippines recently liberalized the entry of tourists from China, which used to be the country’s largest source of inbound foreign visitors prior to the pandemic.

Under the new policy, Chinese nationals are now allowed visa-free entry for short stays for tourism and business purposes, subject to basic travel requirements. 

The move is intended to revive tourist arrivals from China and is expected to increase passenger traffic at major gateways and regional airports across the country.

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Mindanao Accelerates Development with New PPP Desk!

by Contributor
written by Contributor

At long last, local governments in Mindanao won’t have to wait in line for national funds just to build roads, hospitals, schools, or water systems.

On September 23, 2025, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) officially unveiled the Mindanao Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Desk at the Acacia Hotel in Davao City — a one-stop hub designed to turbocharge LGU infrastructure and unlock private sector investments.

This new initiative will generate a strong pipeline of bankable projects; empower LGUs with technical capacity and hands-on guidance; and attract private investment to drive inclusive, community-centered progress.

MinDA Chairperson Secretary Leo Tereso A. Magno said the launch is a decisive step forward:

“This forum represents our shared mission to accelerate infrastructure development and inter-regional connectivity. Through PPPs, we can tap into the capital, innovation, and efficiency of the private sector while ensuring government delivers better services.”

Atty. Cyris A. Ng-Santiago, Director III of the Capacity Building and Knowledge Management Service (CBKMS) of the PPP Center, underscored the significance of the new legal framework:

“Sa atin pong batas, which is the RA 11966 or PPP Code, ito po ngayon ang single-legal basis for all PPPs, both national and local. It repeals all LGU PPP/JV Codes and ordinances.”

The PPP Code of the Philippines (RA 11966) now serves as a single, unified legal basis for public-private partnerships at both national and local levels.

It streamlines rules, repeals overlapping LGU PPP ordinances, and sets clear timelines to speed up project approvals while ensuring transparency and accountability.

Bringing PPP Opportunities Closer to LGUs

MinDA’s PPP Desk is not just for mega-projects. It will help LGUs pursue critical local infrastructure — such as clean water systems, rural health clinics, school buildings, farm-to-market roads, and other facilities that improve everyday life.

By early next year, MinDA plans to bring the Desk closer to the provinces through caravans and training workshops, helping LGUs build technical know-how and confidence to initiate and complete PPP projects.

Abdul Khayr M. Alonto II, Department Head of the PPP and Investment Center of the Province of Bataan, shared lessons from their experience:

“Our PPP experience in Bataan shows that strong leadership and consistent engagement with the private sector create transformative projects that benefit communities directly.”

Aligned With the Build Better More Vision

This move supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Build Better More Program, which envisions one-fourth of flagship infrastructure projects funded through PPPs.

The President has ordered the creation of faster approval mechanisms, stronger technical assistance for LGUs, and more private sector participation in key sectors — including transport, water supply, renewable energy, and digital infrastructure — with a strong focus on bridging gaps in Mindanao.

The launch gathered a wide range of participants from both government and the private sector, including Francis David Roque, 1st VP & Head of Investments at Aboitiz Infra Capital; Mayor Ruel G. Molina of Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur; Mayor Jelio Val C. Laurento of Tago, Surigao del Sur; and Rogelio Daanoy Jaraula of Baungon, Bukidnon, alongside representatives from government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and other key stakeholders.

With the Mindanao PPP Desk now in place, LGUs finally have a clear, fast, and reliable pathway to turn local development plans into reality — from roads and water systems to modern hospitals and schools — helping build a stronger, more connected, and inclusive Mindanao.

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Dela Rosa questions sudden Senate change of leadership 

by Rhoda Grace Saron
written by Rhoda Grace Saron

SENATOR Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa questioned the recent change in Senate leadership, pointing out how its investigation into “ghost flood control projects” has implicated the House of Representatives, not Senator Francis Escudero.

In a post on his Facebook page, Dela Rosa wrote,  “Ang kurapsyon sa ghost flood control projects ay nasa House of Representatives ayon sa imbestigasyon ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee pero bakit ang Senate President ang pinalitan (Corruption surrounding ghost flood control projects lies at the footsteps of the House of Representatives, according to the investigation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, so why was the Senate President replaced)?” the senator asked.

On Sept. 8, senators voted to elect Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III to replace Escudero. 

With a vote of 15-9, Sotto was elected the new Senate President, while Escudero returned to the minority bloc along with other Duterte-allied senators.

Dela Rosa’s statement came amid the ongoing investigation by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee into allegations of corruption on multi-billion-peso flood control projects. 

During a series of hearings, the names of several congressmen and officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways have surfaced, allegedly involved in “ghost projects” and demanding “kickbacks.”

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Business

Lawmaker pushes amendments in city’s Investment Code

by Nova Mae Francas
written by Nova Mae Francas

A LAWMAKER here introduced amendments to the city’s Investment Code to be more responsive to the present times.

Councilor Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, committee chair of trade, commerce and industry, said it is high time to amend the Investment Code, considering the city’s business demands are constantly changing and new economic sectors have emerged.

“It is essential, therefore, for the city to take proactive measures in response to these evolving economic demands, enabling Davao City to not only sustain its current economic standing but also, where possible, surpass it,” Ortiz said in her privilege speech during Tuesday’s regular session.

The councilor stressed that the economic activities by various businesses and industries are one of the key contributors to the city’s positive economic performance.

Some of the key features of the proposed amendments include the creation of new plantilla positions in the Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC), the implementing office, and giving it a new management structure.

The councilor also intends to expand the priority investment areas of the DCIPC. At present, the priority areas include agribusiness, tourism, health, ICT, infrastructure, and light manufacturing.

Under the technology sector, precision agriculture technology and digital health systems are already included, while the health sector now welcomes communicable disease testing and healthcare waste management. 

Fiscal incentives and tax reliefs to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises are also eyed.

To strengthen the implementation, included in the proposed amendments include providing the DCIPC and the Investment Board with a visitorial power.

The councilor noted that the city ranked fifth among the Philippines’ largest urban economies and contributed to the national Gross Domestic Product, and was the largest economy in Mindanao in 2023.

“Investments made in the city have stimulated job opportunities, infrastructure developments, and leveled the competitiveness of the local industries with other cities. This makes Davao City a primary destination for investors in Mindanao,” she stressed.

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