Proposed 2023 budget cuts aviation infra program fund by over P1 billion

The government is allocating P2.5 billion for the aviation infrastructure program, which is over a billion less than the P3.87 billion budget this year.

Based on the proposed 2023 budget that the Marcos administration submitted, the P2.5 billion budget for aviation infrastructure program covers the following airports:

•     Tacloban Airport with P1.42 billion,
•     Laoag International Airport with P445 million,
•     Antique Airport P500 million,
•     Bukidnon Airport P80 million, and
•     Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) with P43 million.

While NAIA, the country's biggest airport, got the smallest amount for the infrastructure program under the proposed 2023 budget, it was still a marked improvement since it did not receive any allocation for 2022.

The P3.87 billion for the aviation infrastructure program under the 2022 national budget covered the following:

•     Bukidnon with P1 billion,
•     Catblogan Airport with P950 million,
•     Ormoc Airport with P415 million,
•     Marinduque with P300 million,
•     Candon Airport P270 million,
•     Tandag Airport with P264.8 million,
•     Bicol Airport with P100 million,
•     Siquijor with P100 million,
•     Ipil Airport with P70 million,
•     Itbayat Airport with P54.5 million,
•     Loakan Airport with P50 million,
•     Dumaguete Airport with P50 million,
•     General Santos P50 million,
•     Central Mindanao Airport in Cotabato City with P50 million,
•     Laoag International Airport with P30 million,
•     Cauayan Airport with P30 million,
•     Catanduanes Airport with P30 million,
•     Busuanga Airport P30 million, and
•     Ozamiz Airport P30 million.

Despite a lower budget for the aviation infrastructure program for the 2023, House Appropriations panel vice chairperson and  Makati City Representative Luis Campos said allocating funds for the initiative is a crucial step in generating economic growth, jobs, and income.

“They (airports) facilitate mobility of people and goods, which also benefits consumers and industries, especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that now account for 99% of the 958,000 registered business establishments in the country,” Campos said.

"Bigger and better airports are also indispensable to the country’s overall disaster readiness.They enable us to rapidly deploy emergency first responders as well as relief supplies and equipment to regions hit by typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural calamities,” he added.—AOL, GMA News