President Marcos has underscored the government’s push to open regional tourism and business hubs to international flights, saying these would allow foreign travelers to skip Metro Manila and head straight to their chosen destinations.

Marcos said this as he led the groundbreaking of the Caticlan Passenger Terminal Building in Aklan on Monday, July 18.

In his speech, the President said regional airports such as Caticlan are key to welcoming foreign travelers directly to Philippine destinations, bypassing Metro Manila and stimulating regional economies.

“We are slowly putting together the building blocks of our policy of opening up our tourist areas… to international travelers without having to go through the Manila Airport,” he said.

Marcos added that the new passenger terminal, which will serve as the main airport gateway to Boracay and other destinations in Western Visayas, would help ease travel to the region and boost economic activity.

“It is not just Aklan who is involved in this; it is the entire region that will be assisted by the construction of this terminal building,” he said.

With this, President Marcos challenged the project developers to complete the terminal in 24 months or even sooner, citing the successful track record of Megawide in finishing more complex infrastructure.

The project is being developed in partnership with the San Miguel Corporation and Megawide Construction Corp.

“You have no excuse… I’ve seen your other projects—even more complicated constructions than this,” Marcos told Megawide Chairman Edgar Saavedra.

“It is already in my schedule—24 months, I am coming to cut the ribbon. Kung puwede mong gawing 18 (If you can finish it in 18 months), I won’t complain,” he added.

Marcos said he hoped the facility would follow previous Megawide projects completed “on budget and on time.”

The President likewise commended the local governments for helping resolve right-of-way and land acquisition challenges that delayed the Caticlan terminal’s construction in the past.

“Kung hindi sa local government… hindi namin mabubuo ’yung daan kung saan kailangan ma-expropriate o magkaroon ng negotiation (If not for the local government… we wouldn’t have completed the road where expropriation or negotiation was needed),” he said.

“When the national government, the local government, and the private sector work together hand in hand—not opposite sides, but hand in hand—this is what we can achieve,” he added.

The Chief Executive said the new airport terminal aligns with the administration’s long-term goal of increasing the tourism sector’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product.

“Tourism right now contributes close to eight percent to our GDP (gross domestic product). And that is something that we want to increase,” Marcos said.

He said the government is undertaking similar airport development efforts in Iloilo, Bohol, Siargao, and other destinations.