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Advocates Philippines
Cheap But World-Class: Marcos Touts Antique Airport As Model For Smart Spending
Screengrab from RTVM
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday held up the Antique Airport Development Project as proof that public infrastructure doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective—so long as government funds are used wisely.
Leading the inauguration of the newly rehabilitated Antique Airport in San Jose de Buenavista, Marcos admitted he was taken aback by how much was achieved with a relatively modest budget.
“Ang sinabi sa akin, the total cost for all improvements and construction was PHP120 million, medyo nagulat ako sabi ko napakamura. ‘Yung tower pa lang, PHP42 million lamang ang ginastos,” the President said, noting that the project delivered major upgrades at a surprisingly low cost.
Those upgrades are hard to miss. The Passenger Terminal Building was expanded from just 181 square meters to 2,224 square meters, boosting seating capacity from 64 to 360 passengers and increasing check-in counters from two to six.
The airport now also boasts a newly developed ramp that can handle up to four jet aircraft at the same time, a seven-story expanded control tower, modern baggage handling and flight information systems, and a longer runway—stretched from 1,430 meters to 1,800 meters—making jet aircraft operations possible.
For Marcos, the project sends a clear message about what government can do when public money is spent the right way.
“Ito ay isang magandang halimbawa na kung tama ang pinaglalagyan ng pera ng tao, makikita natin napakarami nating kayang gawin — mas mabilis, mas mura, mas maganda,” he said.
The President urged government officials to treat the Antique airport upgrade as a benchmark for future public works, especially at a time when the public remains wary of corruption, substandard construction, and overpriced infrastructure projects.
“Gawin ninyo itong pamantayan para sa ating serbisyo sa mga residente at sa ating mga turista,” Marcos said.
He also stressed that quality implementation matters just as much as funding, pointing out that projects should immediately deliver benefits to the public.
“Tiyakin natin na isasagawa nang maayos ang mga proyekto upang mas mabilis itong mapakinabangan ng ating mga kababayan,” he added.
Marcos said the Antique airport upgrade is part of a wider push to modernize airports across Western Visayas, including major improvements at Iloilo International Airport and Roxas Airport, all aimed at boosting tourism, trade, and regional growth.
Leading the inauguration of the newly rehabilitated Antique Airport in San Jose de Buenavista, Marcos admitted he was taken aback by how much was achieved with a relatively modest budget.
“Ang sinabi sa akin, the total cost for all improvements and construction was PHP120 million, medyo nagulat ako sabi ko napakamura. ‘Yung tower pa lang, PHP42 million lamang ang ginastos,” the President said, noting that the project delivered major upgrades at a surprisingly low cost.
Those upgrades are hard to miss. The Passenger Terminal Building was expanded from just 181 square meters to 2,224 square meters, boosting seating capacity from 64 to 360 passengers and increasing check-in counters from two to six.
The airport now also boasts a newly developed ramp that can handle up to four jet aircraft at the same time, a seven-story expanded control tower, modern baggage handling and flight information systems, and a longer runway—stretched from 1,430 meters to 1,800 meters—making jet aircraft operations possible.
For Marcos, the project sends a clear message about what government can do when public money is spent the right way.
“Ito ay isang magandang halimbawa na kung tama ang pinaglalagyan ng pera ng tao, makikita natin napakarami nating kayang gawin — mas mabilis, mas mura, mas maganda,” he said.
The President urged government officials to treat the Antique airport upgrade as a benchmark for future public works, especially at a time when the public remains wary of corruption, substandard construction, and overpriced infrastructure projects.
“Gawin ninyo itong pamantayan para sa ating serbisyo sa mga residente at sa ating mga turista,” Marcos said.
He also stressed that quality implementation matters just as much as funding, pointing out that projects should immediately deliver benefits to the public.
“Tiyakin natin na isasagawa nang maayos ang mga proyekto upang mas mabilis itong mapakinabangan ng ating mga kababayan,” he added.
Marcos said the Antique airport upgrade is part of a wider push to modernize airports across Western Visayas, including major improvements at Iloilo International Airport and Roxas Airport, all aimed at boosting tourism, trade, and regional growth.
New Paragraph
Jan 19, 2026
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