TACLOBAN CITY – The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in Eastern Visayas is seeking the clearing of an estimated three hectares of mangrove inside the Tacloban airport perimeter as the completion of the new passenger terminal building gets nearer.
CAAP Area VIII Manager Danila Abareta said the existing mangrove area along the airstrip of the airport poses a serious threat to landing and taking off aircraft at the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport.
Abareta said reports from the firemen and safety officers who conduct regular inspection on the runway showed numerous instances where bird carcasses were found.
“These mangroves encroach ob the required safety distance from the runway,” he told Opinyon 8.
Abareta said the presence of water with soft soil and shaded area make the mangroves a good breeding ground for the birds.
He said CAAP and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional office are already finalizing the process on how these mangroves will be extracted and transferred to another location.
“This has to be done before the completion of the ongoing construction,” he said referring to the modernized DZR Airport which is expected to start its operation on the second quarter of 2026.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, together with officials from the CAAP central office and the Department of Public Works and Highways, conducted an inspection of the ongoing construction last Friday, March 14, 2025.
DPWH reported that as of the inspection date, the construction of the new passenger terminal building (PTB) is 56.48% complete, with full completion expected by April 2026.
Abareta said the new PTB will have a larger sitting capacity for departing passengers to accommodate more than 1,500 from 650 sitting capacity of the existing terminal.
The modernized airport will also have essential airport facilities such as a rescue and firefighting facility, motorpool and maintenance facility, and a vehicular parking area.
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