The construction of the Mati Airport in Mati City, Davao Oriental will now commence following the groundbreaking ceremony of the airport development project on Monday, February 10, 2025.
Officials of the province, Department of Transportation (DOTr), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippine (CAAP), and other agencies led the groundbreaking.
The airport is seen to boost the province’s economy in terms of tourism, employment, and livelihood opportunities.
“This will create countless job opportunities - from air traffic controllers ground handlers to retail and hospitality workers. These are jobs that will benefit our local workforce and uplift countless families beyond employment the airport will serve as substantial source of revenue for the city and the province,” Governor Niño Uy said.
“Through this project we are creating a state-of-the-art aviation hub that will enhance our connectivity, drive economic prosperity to elevate the life of every resident of Mati City,” Mati City Mayor Michelle Rabat added.
The provincial government is already preparing for the possible influx of tourists once the airport operates. The tourism development plan has also been laid down.
The airport will also make the transportation of products from the province to other areas easier.
“This is going to be a game-changer. Mati and Davao Oriental can be integrated into the transportation existing corridors and we all know that transportation corridors are always the starting point… they pave way for opportunities and facilitate trade,” Department of Tourism-Davao (DOT-11) Director, Tanya Rabat-Tan, said.
The project will have an initial funding of P100 million. The first phase includes basic facilities such as repair of passenger terminal building, perimeter fencing, and aircraft rescue and firefighting facilities.
“This project will significantly enhance Mati Airport’s capacity and efficiency and is expected to officially jumpstart the airport’s commercial operations,” Engineer Rex Obcena of CAAP-Davao said.
The airport is expected to operate in November 2025 for small aircrafts while commercial flights are set to be accommodated in 2026.
The airport development has been pending for around 50 years.
