(CNN Philippines) — A multi-billion peso ‘eco-friendly’ airport will soon rise in Panglao, Bohol.
To be called New Bohol Airport, the grand project held a ceremonial signing on Wednesday (May 27) inked by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and Japanese joint venture Mitsubishi Corporation and Chiyoda Corporation.
The P7-billion project will replace Tagbilaran Airport, the current gateway to Bohol and one of the busiest airports in the country. The small but very active airport services nearly 800,000 passengers despite having a size of only 850 square meters.
The New Bohol Airport, on the other hand, will start in June and is expected to be completed by 2017 to early 2018. It will be 10 times bigger, with a floor area of around 8,800 square meters.
With its sheer size, the new airport is expected to boost the annual passenger capacity to 1.7 million.
“Tourists in Bohol continue to grow each year that passes. Unfortunately, the current airport may not be able to accommodate the increase over time. This gives us the need to cater to the increasing number of tourists and this means modernizing and expanding the airport with a design that is of international standards.” said DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya.
In line with Bohol’s eco-tourism branding, the airport will have environmentally-friendly and energy-saving features, such as the installation of LED lights.
