Francisco B. Reyes Airport Explained

Francisco B. Reyes Airport
Iata:USU
Icao:RPVV
Type:Public
Owner-Oper:Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines
City-Served:Busuanga
Location:Coron
Elevation-F:148
Elevation-M:45
Metric-Elev:yes
Coordinates:12.1214°N 120.1°W
Pushpin Map:Palawan#Philippines
Pushpin Label:USU/RPVV
R1-Number:08/26
R1-Length-F:4,019
R1-Length-M:1,225
R1-Surface:Concrete
Metric-Rwy:yes
Stat1-Header:Passengers
Stat1-Data:42,255
Stat2-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat2-Data:2,262
Stat3-Header:Cargo (in kgs)
Stat3-Data:1,770,993
Stat-Year:2021
Footnotes:Source: CAAP[1]

Francisco B. Reyes Airport, more commonly known as Busuanga Airport, is an airport serving the general area of Coron, located in Busuanga Island in the province of Palawan, Philippines.[2] It is also shared with the neighboring municipality of Busuanga, located on the western half of the island. Since November 10, 2008, the airport has been named after Francisco B. Reyes, the mayor of Coron from 1936 to 1939 who donated the land that forms the current airport complex.[3]

The airport is classified as a Class 2 principal (minor domestic) airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, a body of the Department of Transportation that is responsible for the operations all airports in the Philippines except the major international airports.[2]

The airport is surrounded by a protected ranch used to raise cows. The grass growing on the property is imported from Australia.

History and expansion

Francisco B. Reyes Airport is the target of two expansion projects. The first expansion, funded in part by a US$3 million loan from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in cooperation with the Department of Transportation and Communications, broke ground in March 2007.[4] The expansion, which included the construction of a new terminal building, the completion of the airport's then-unfinished concrete runway and the upgrading of other facilities, was inaugurated by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on November 17, 2008.[5]

The airport terminal was severely damaged by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in November 2013. Rehabilitation work was commenced by the municipality of Coron immediately after the typhoon to enable the airport to continue receiving passengers,[6] and was completed by October 2014.[7] Traffic to and from Coron was negatively affected by the airport's closure, with tourist arrivals falling by up to 75%.[8]

A 4.1 billion second expansion is also planned for the airport, funded entirely by the national government, with the aim of making it capable of supporting both large jet aircraft and nighttime operations.[9]

Accidents and incidents

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Aircraft, Passenger, and Cargo Movements. Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. 28 November 2022.
  2. Web site: Handy Busuanga airport information from Skyscanner.. 2021-02-06. www.skyscanner.com.ph. en-GB.
  3. Republic of the Philippines. (Enacted: November 10, 2008). Proclamation No. 1665, s. 2008 - RENAMING BUSUANGA AIRPORT TO FRANCISCO B. REYES AIRPORT LOCATED AT THE MUNICIPALITY OF CORON, PROVINCE OF PALAWAN. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  4. News: Quismundo, Tarra . Airport upgrade seen making Coron the next tourism gateway . Philippine Daily Inquirer. Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. . March 18, 2007 . August 25, 2015 .
  5. News: GMA News. Arroyo to inaugurate upgraded Busuanga airport Monday . . November 16, 2008 . August 25, 2015 .
  6. News: Formoso, Celeste Anna R. . TIEZA appropriates funds for expansion of Busuanga Airport in northern Palawan . . January 31, 2014 . August 25, 2015 . March 5, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305070625/http://balita.ph/2014/01/31/tieza-appropriates-funds-for-expansion-of-busuanga-airport-in-northern-palawan/ . dead .
  7. News: Bayos, Kris . Gov't eyes new airport for Leyte . Manila Bulletin. Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation . November 9, 2014 . August 25, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150825050650/http://www.mb.com.ph/govt-eyes-new-airport-for-leyte/ . August 25, 2015 .
  8. News: Cayon, Manuel . More passengers use Busuanga airport . BusinessMirror. Philippine Business Daily Mirror Publishing, Inc. . June 11, 2015 . August 25, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150620103737/http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/more-passengers-use-busuanga-airport/ . June 20, 2015 .
  9. News: PH gov't gives go-ahead to P62B worth of infrastructure projects . PortCalls Asia . June 4, 2014 . August 25, 2015 .
  10. News: PAL plane overshoots Busuanga runway . . July 14, 2024 . July 14, 2024.