By Rachel Magday

 

NUEVA VIZCAYA, Philippines — Nueva Vizcaya Congressman Atty. Timothy Joseph E. Cayton has asked the Department of Transportation(DOTr) to fund the rehabilitation and reactivation of Bagabag Airport, advancing the provincial government’s push to make the facility operational again.

Rep. Cayton raised Gov. Atty. Jose V. Gambito’s plan with Transportation Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez during congressional budget deliberations on the department’s proposed spending. Cayton said reopening the airport would ease access for residents of Nueva Vizcaya and nearby provinces and help drive tourism in the province.

“As a landlocked province, the primary way to reach Nueva Vizcaya and to go elsewhere is by land, which can be a lengthy trip. Opening Bagabag Airport will provide faster, more convenient access for our residents, domestic and foreign tourists, and visitors from adjacent provinces,” Cayton said.

“I thank Congressman Cayton for raising this important issue at the national level, and I am heartened to see more stakeholders working together toward the reopening of Bagabag Airport,” Gov. Gambito said.

“Reactivating the airport will catalyze economic activity across the region and significantly boost tourism not only here in Nueva Vizcaya but also in neighboring provinces such as Quirino and Ifugao, making it easier for both local and international visitors to reach major attractions like the Banaue Rice Terraces.”

Sec. Lopez said he would direct the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to conduct an ocular inspection of Bagabag Airport to assess its current condition and requirements for reactivation.

He added that a feasibility study would be carried out and that funds would be earmarked in the 2026 budget for the airport’s rehabilitation.

The initiative has drawn support from provincial leaders in recent months. Former Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chair and former Department of Transportation and Communications(DOTC) undersecretary Gen. Thompson C. Lantion earlier coordinated with Gambito’s office on efforts to reopen the facility.

He previously inspected Bagabag Airport with Bagabag Mayor Benigno Calauad.

Reopening Bagabag Airport is among the priorities Gambito outlined in his inaugural address, framing the project as a catalyst for inter-regional tourism and broader economic activity in Nueva Vizcaya.