Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez thanked the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) for approving his budget request of P200 million for the upgrade of the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental.

A PORTION of the runway of the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental. (Contributed photo)
In a letter dated April 24, CAAP Director-General Raul del Rosario said that they have allocated P205 million for the Bacolod-Silay Airport Development Project under Calendar Year 2025 Corporate Operating Budget (COB).
Project scope under the approved budget includes the improvement or expansion of passenger terminal building amounting to P200 million that aims to increase both the check-in area and pre-departure area to accommodate the growing passenger demand and the widening of access road for Fire Station Building (FSB) amounting to P5 million.
Del Rosario also stated that the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has committed to include the asphalt overlay of the existing runway at airport in their funding to ensure safe aircraft operations.
He responded to Benitez two months after he sent a letter to CAAP then led by Director General Manuel Antonio Tamayo requesting for a budget for the airport’s upgrade.
The CAAP is currently implementing the rehabilitation and improvement of the passenger terminal building project at Bacolod-Silay Airport amounting to P45 million to address its several outdated and deteriorated building materials or components.
The project is expected to be completed on December this year, according to CAAP.
Benitez welcomed this development, saying that “this brings us closer to a safer, more efficient, and passenger-friendly airport for Bacolod and the rest of the province.”
He said that they are committed to seeing these projects through for the benefit of the people.