President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. officially opened the new parallel runway at Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on January 30, 2025, marking a significant advancement for tourism and aviation in Central Visayas. The Department of Tourism (DOT) celebrated this milestone, emphasizing its potential to enhance the region’s appeal to tourists.
DOT Secretary Christina Frasco highlighted that the new runway would solidify Cebu’s status as a leading tourist destination and a key entry point to the Visayas and Mindanao regions. She noted that the improved accessibility would significantly boost tourism in Central Visayas, benefiting both international and domestic travelers.
The new runway is designed to increase aviation safety, handle larger aircraft, and improve operational efficiency at MCIA. By providing more space for aircraft operations, it aims to minimize the risk of accidents, particularly in challenging weather conditions.
Frasco described the development as a major achievement for Philippine tourism under the Marcos administration, stating that the increased flight frequencies and passenger capacity up to 18 million at MCIA would benefit all stakeholders in the aviation and tourism industries. She added that this would enhance accessibility to island destinations in Cebu, the Visayas, and Mindanao, boosting the local economy, promoting cultural exchange, and fostering global connectivity.
The new infrastructure is expected to support Cebu’s thriving tourism sectors, including dive tourism and the meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions industry. It will also aid in managing large-scale tourism events like the Sinulog Festival, which draws millions of visitors each year.
The Department of Transportation reported that the new runway would significantly improve air traffic efficiency, increasing the airport’s aircraft movement capacity from 30 to 40 per hour. The dual-runway system will also reduce wear and tear on each runway by allowing them to alternate use.
In 2024, MCIA saw a 13% increase in passenger traffic, welcoming 11.3 million passengers. The airport’s international acclaim was further recognized when it was awarded Asia’s Best Airport in the Under 5 Million Passengers category at the Routes Asia 2023 awards in Chiang Mai, Thailand.