Southern Leyte seeks Maasin-Clark flight as airport rehab advances

TACLOBAN CITY — Southern Leyte is seeking to revive regular commercial flights at the Maasin City Airport, with a possible direct route to Clark being explored as the province pushes to improve air connectivity and support tourism and economic activity.

Gov. Damian Mercado discussed the proposed Maasin-Clark route with Sunlight Air Chief Operating Officer Edgardo Diaz during a meeting in Manila on Sept. 11.

The proposed route could provide Southern Leyte residents with a more direct air link to Central Luzon, reducing the need for travelers bound for Manila and other destinations to first travel by land to Tacloban City to catch commercial flights.

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The initiative comes as the province continues efforts to rehabilitate and improve the Maasin City Airport in Barangay Panan-awan, which currently does not serve regular commercial passenger flights and is mainly used by flying schools and for aviation training activities.

P1.5 billion for airport improvements

The airport development project, implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways-Southern Leyte District Engineering Office, has been allocated more than P1.5 billion for rehabilitating, reconstructing, and improving airport infrastructure.

The investment is expected to improve the airport’s facilities and help provide the infrastructure needed to support the eventual return of regular commercial air service.

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Maasin City Airport, also known as Panan-awan Airport, is the only existing airport in Southern Leyte and is classified by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines as a feeder airport. It is located about 14 kilometers from the Maasin City center.

Currently, travelers from Southern Leyte who need to take commercial flights to Manila and other destinations generally have to travel to airports serving neighboring areas, with Tacloban City serving as the province’s major gateway for air travelers.

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Maasin-Clark connects Southern Leyte to Clark airport

A direct Maasin-Clark service would give passengers an alternative to the existing land-and-air travel arrangement and connect Southern Leyte to Clark International Airport in Central Luzon.

Clark, in turn, provides access to a wider network of domestic and international destinations, potentially making travel to and from Southern Leyte more convenient.

Provincial officials see improved air connectivity as important to the growth of Southern Leyte’s tourism and investment sectors.

The province is home to destinations including Limasawa Island, beaches, dive sites, waterfalls, and historical attractions. Better air access could make these destinations more accessible to tourists from Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and other parts of the country.

A regular air service could benefit businesses, investors, government officials, and other travelers by reducing travel time and providing a more convenient alternative to current land and sea routes.

Service is still in the exploratory stage

The proposed Maasin-Clark route, however, remains in the exploratory stage and would still depend on the airport’s readiness, regulatory requirements, and commercial viability.

For Southern Leyte, the talks with Sunlight Air mark an initial step toward bringing back regular commercial aviation to Maasin after years of the airport being outside the region’s commercial air network.

READ: Marcos to agencies: Ensure smooth airport rehab in Western Visayas

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The proposed route, coupled with the ongoing airport rehabilitation backed by more than P1.5 billion in government funding, could eventually give Southern Leyte a direct air link to Central Luzon and reduce its reliance on Tacloban’s Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport for commercial air travel. /coa