Bigger and Better

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The $128 million, state-of-the-art airport is helping unlock the vast economic potentials of Mindanao

LARGER CAPACITY: The new airport handles 280 domestic and 20 international flights weekly

DAVAO CITY - Being an archipelago, the Philippines relies heavily on air transportation for economic and social connectivity, and Davao's $128-million, state-of-the-art international airport has played a crucial role in bringing more passengers and cargo in and out of the gateway to southern Philippines.

With ADB financing, the Davao airport was upgraded and expanded to provide reliable, safe, all-weather air services that meet international standards. The airport improves Davao's access to nearby markets and the overall economic prospects of southern Philippines, and could be considered a vital intermodal transport link for this large geographical area. The airport also supports Davao's strategic role in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

Domestic passenger volume has steadily grown from less than a million in 2003, during the old terminal's last year in operation, to 1.4 million last year, for an average annual growth rate of 10%. Last year's international passenger volume grew an impressive 70%, with more than 60,000 passengers in 20 weekly international flights. There are 280 domestic flights weekly, in and out, on four different airlines—Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines, and Asian Spirit. Davao's spacious and modern terminal building can easily accommodate up to twice its designed minimum passenger capacity of 1 million passengers per year. "These basic figures illustrate the direct impact of the new airport on Davao's economy, with bright prospects to grow further," says ADB transport specialist Shihiru Date.

Gateway to BIMP-EAGA

The old airport terminal did not fulfill its strategic role as a gateway to the BIMP-EAGA region. The terminal had exceeded its passenger capacity, and the instrument landing system could not support the precision approaches and landings that international flights require. As a result, international passengers bound for Davao had to transit through Manila. A new airport was clearly needed.

Today, the airport sees an average of 4,200 passengers per day, the bulk of them during the early morning hours when most flights operate. Even during these peak hours, the airport can easily handle a steady inflow of passengers, with its 14 domestic and 14 international check-in counters almost double the number available at the old terminal. The check-in counters are equipped with electronic scales and conveyor belts for baggage, and the airport's baggage-handling system is also computerized.

The upgrades were funded through a $41 million loan from ADB, approved in 1994, while the European Investment Bank provided an additional $23 million loan. The original cost of the project was $105 million, but as a result of foreign exchange escalation costs, the Asian financial crisis, and rising land acquisition costs, the total cost of the project reached $128 million. The Francisco Bangoy International Airport opened in December 2003 and has been operating smoothly since. The 209-hectare project took 4 years for both air-side and land-side civil works to complete.

GATEWAY: An average of 4,200 passengers go through the airport dail

International Standards

The airport upgrades included extending the runway by 500 meters, achieving a usable take-off length of 3,000 meters that can accommodate the wide-body aircraft of major airlines. The installation of a new landing instrumentation system for two runways upgraded the airport's compliance with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization Operating Category for its Precision Approach Category 1. This puts Davao's airport at par with Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in terms of the runway's technical specifications. The runway can accommodate 8-10 aircraft landings per hour, depending on the size of the aircraft, and the airport has the equivalent of 8 gate holding areas for those aircrafts.

"The Air Traffic Control tower is considered the most advanced here in the Philippines, even more sophisticated than NAIA's," boasts assistant airport manager Joey Saddam, who oversaw the airport's construction.

The Project also covered the construction of a new terminal building, which was inspired by Malay architecture. The new terminal, which is four times the size of the previous terminal, came at a cost of P1 billion (about $20 million when the project was ongoing). The terminal is computerized, more secure, and has approximately 9,000 square meters of commercial space available, a significant increase on the space available in the previous airport. It has four new boarding bridges for passengers, as well as a flight information system. Baggage is screened three times before a passenger boards the plane. "It's better that you know that all the baggage has been thoroughly checked... for your own protection," said airport manager Frederick San Felix.

Modern Facilities

In addition to the main terminal building, there are also new support buildings for administration; central plant; airfield maintenance; and fire, crash, and rescue services. The airport has a 688-slot car parking area, with four slots for shuttle buses, as well as a 3-megawatt standby power generator. The cargo terminal building covers almost 5,580 square meters and can handle up to 84,600 tons of cargo a year. Air-cargo volume has grown from 39,000 tons at a growth rate of 2% per annum.

Energy management controls for the centralized air-conditioning system, power, and lights are now located in just one room. An access control system ensures that only authorized personnel may access sensitive areas of the airport, and security cards ensure that the system records who accesses which parts of the airport. A closed-circuit television system complements the terminal's security.

To maintain these modern facilities, the airport has increased its terminal fees from P40 to P200 (from about $1 to $5) per passenger, bringing fees closer in line with those at the Manila and Cebu airports.

Davao's new international airport helps unlock the vast economic potentials of the Southern Philippines, where improved transportation access can dramatically improve economic growth and development.