PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – The 300-hectare Philippine Air Force (PAF) base in Barangay Catagupan, Balabac town is expected to be finished in 2021, a PAF official said.

Tactical Operations Wing West Public Information Officer First Lt. Rufina Phainaa said that the project was underway, and was 41.25 percent complete.

“Actually, nasa 41.25 percent na po tayo, tuloy-tuloy naman po ang construction ng ating airport doon. Base sa plano, ito po ay inaasahan na matatapos sa 2021 pero hindi pa natin alam kung anong quarter. Ang agaran na pagpapatakbo nito ay hindi pa natin matiyak kasi nakadepende tayo sa budget,” she said.

Sabello said that the implementing agency of the airport was the Department of Public Works in Highway (DPWH), and the beneficiaries upon completion will be the provincial government and PAF.

" Basically po ay ‘yon DPWH po ang implementing agency natin dito. is under ng provincial government at PAF. Upon completion po nito ay isang beneficiary ay ang PAF pero ‘yong mga facilities na itatayo ay ima-manage ng mga government agencies. Kapag natapos ‘yon ay isa tayo doon magma-manage doon, hindi lang sa atin but joint use po ito,” Sabello said.

Sabello also clarified that the PAF had no involvement with the reported complaints in relation with the facility's environment compliance certificate (ECC).

"'Yong sa tanong po regarding sa mga permits ay hindi po sa amin 'yon kasi katulad nga ng sinabi ko ay beneficiary lang po ang PAF sa project na ito," she said.

The facility will have an airport that would further unlock southern Palawan’s tourism potentials for economic growth.

Current wing commander Col. Gerry Soliven said recently during a press conference at the headquarters of the Western Command (WESCOM) that the facility could be also used as an airport as proposed by the provincial government.

“Puwede kasi maging dual use ang air base. It can be used also as an airport katulad dito sa Puerto Princesa ,” he said.

In 2018, former PAF chief Lt. Gen. Galileo Gerard Kintanar Jr. signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez for the construction of the air base in Catagupan that will later be called Balabac Air Base (BAB).

Alvarez said setting aside the use of government property in Balabac was the province’s contribution to efforts to secure the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the southern border.

He also expressed optimism that the PAF base development will help spur economic growth in southern Palawan.

Former Western Command (WESCOM) commander Admiral Rene Medina said that AFP has planned to put up a naval station in the municipality to provide local logistic support to the air base.

“‘Yong naval station wala pa, nasa planning stage pa lang, but we are looking forward that we can have a station in the area so that the air force and the navy can jointly conduct security patrols in Balabac,” he said.