President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inaugurated the newly rehabilitated Antique Airport on Monday, January 19, 2026, highlighting the project as a new national standard for delivering high-impact public infrastructure without wasting funds.
A Surprising Benchmark in Cost-Efficiency
During the ceremony in San Jose de Buenavista, President Marcos expressed his astonishment at the relatively low cost of the significant upgrades. The total cost for the new Passenger Terminal Building and other key improvements was approximately PHP120 million, a figure the President described as surprisingly affordable.
"When they told me the total cost for all the improvements is only PHP120 million, I was surprised and I said it's cheap. The control tower alone is just PHP42 million," Marcos stated, commending the project's execution.
Key Upgrades and Expanded Capacity
The Antique Airport Development Project, which ran from 2017 to 2023 with a total project cost of around PHP1.5 billion, has transformed the regional gateway. The most visible change is the new Passenger Terminal Building, which has been dramatically expanded from 181 square meters to 2,224 square meters.
This expansion increases passenger seating capacity from just 64 to 360. The facility now boasts six check-in counters, a significant upgrade from the previous two. Operational capabilities have also been enhanced with a new ramp that can handle up to four jet aircraft at once and a runway extended from 1,430 meters to 1,800 meters, finally allowing for jet aircraft operations.
Other modern features include an expanded seven-story control tower, modern baggage handling systems, and updated flight information displays.
A Model for Future Public Works
President Marcos firmly positioned the Antique airport rehabilitation as a template that other government projects should follow, especially amid public concerns over corruption, overpricing, and substandard construction in the infrastructure sector.
"This is a good example that if we spend people's money correctly, we will see that we can do so much — faster, cheaper, and more efficient," he emphasized. He directed officials to "make this project a standard of our service" to both local residents and tourists.
The President stressed that proper implementation is key to ensuring public funds translate into immediate benefits for citizens. He added that the Antique upgrade is part of a broader push to modernize airports in Western Visayas, including major improvements at Iloilo International Airport and Roxas Airport, to bolster regional tourism, trade, and economic growth.
