A PHP17 billion airport will be built to replace the current Dumaguete airport to accommodate the estimated 2.5 million passengers by 2038, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The construction is also expected to boost economic growth in the city as urban development continues for Dumaguete.
According to early DOTr pronouncements, the new airport may provide opportunities for international flights in addition to the domestic ones that the Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport now serves.
High-impact project
The Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank), which is Seoul's official development assistance, will provide at least PHP13 billion of the project's money. The DOTr will be responsible for the remaining PHP3.9 billion.
Of the seven high-impact infrastructure project ideas approved by the NEDA Board, the New Dumaguete Airport Development Project is one of the biggest.
In August, Governor Manuel Sagarbarria received documents about the new Dumaguete Airport Development Project from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Finance, and Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) representatives.
An agreement has been struck by the DOF and KEXIM for the new international airport, to be built on a 270-hectare plot in Bacong.
Improved economy and better quality of life
According to NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, the projects will have a major impact on bringing about socioeconomic change.
“In line with the strategies identified under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, the approval of these high-impact projects is a manifestation of the Marcos administration’s strong commitment to improving the quality of life of the Filipino people,” Balisacan stated.
