San Vicente Airport (SVA) in Palawan is now ready to accommodate commercial flights after finally being inaugurated almost a decade since its construction started.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), in cooperation with the provincial government of Palawan, on May 10 led the inauguration of SVA, which is envisioned to provide more flights and routes for air passengers traveling in Palawan, and to help boost the country’s first Flagship Tourism Enterprise Zone.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said SVA will accommodate more flights after the inauguration. He said Air Juan is now servicing the route to be followed by Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines.
SVA’s passenger terminal building can accommodate up to 100 passengers at any given time, bigger than the average capacity of community airports of around 50 passengers.
With SVA ready to receive commercial flights, the number of tourists in Palawan is expected to further increase as they begin to explore various tourist destinations in San Vicente.
In 2006, then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced the construction of a new airport in San Vicente to jump start tourism development not only in the municipality but in other parts of North Palawan.
In 2012, a P62.7-million airport development project was initiated and included the construction of a passenger terminal, a fire station building, and an elevated 2,500-gallon water tank; as well as a runway extension with slope protection and hill obstruction removal. The airport project was supposed to be completed by March 2014 but was delayed by an issue with a nearby private property owner.
The airport was officially opened to general aviation flights on June 22, 2017.
Seen as the country’s first Flagship Tourism Enterprise Zone, the town of San Vicente, a first-class municipality, is home to Long Beach, known as the longest white sand beach in the Philippines, stretching 14.7 kilometers and spanning the coastline of four barangays.
A part of the National Tourism Development Plan for 2016-2022, Tourism Enterprise Zones are similar to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s economic zones, except geared towards tourism.
