Bohol-Panglao airport set for expansion following Aboitiz takeover

Aboitiz InfraCapital will spearhead the airport’s expansion to accommodate 2.5 million passengers per annum in the first two years under its wing and up to 3.9 million passengers yearly by 2030

MANILA, Philippines – The Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA) will soon get its own upgrades.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Monday, June 16, officially turned over the airport to Aboitiz InfraCapital Incorporated (AIC).

The company bagged the P4.53-billion Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in 2024. AIC will spearhead the airport’s expansion to accommodate 2.5 million passengers per annum in the first two years under its wing and up to 3.9 million passengers yearly by 2030. The BPIA can currently only accommodate 2 million passengers every year.

Aboitiz InfraCapital will also modernize facilities and install new airport systems and equipment, with the first set of upgrades set for the second half of 2025.

“This project is about more than infrastructure — it’s about enabling tourism, empowering local economies, and creating more inclusive growth across the Visayas,” AIC president and CEO Cosette Canilao said in a statement.

The Bohol-Panglao International Airport will be the third airport under the company’s management. AIC now also manages the award-winning Mactan-Cebu International Airport after Megawide Construction Corporation exchanged its remaining shares in Aboitiz GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation in favor of AIC for P7.7 billion last October 2024.

Last year, the company also bagged the P12.75-billion PPP contract to operate the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental.

“We are committed to transforming BPIA into a globally competitive gateway that reflects the beauty and hospitality of Bohol, while helping unlock its full tourism and economic potential,” AIC vice president and head of the airports business Rafael Aboitiz said. – Rappler.com