Completion of Tacloban airport rehab, upgrade eyed by February 2027

TACLOBAN CITY — The expanded Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport in this city is targeted for completion by February 2027, ahead of the Holy Week travel season, as the national government seeks to improve passenger capacity and strengthen air connectivity in Eastern Visayas.

Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez announced the target on Friday, Oct. 23, following an inspection of the ongoing airport rehabilitation and expansion project, which President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered accelerated to accommodate more travelers next year.

“The president instructed us to accelerate the construction of Tacloban Airport so that more passengers and tourists can benefit from it by next year’s Holy Week,” Lopez said in a statement.

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He said the upgraded airport would provide greater convenience for passengers while helping boost tourism and economic activity in Tacloban City and neighboring provinces.

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The project includes the expansion of the passenger terminal building from 2,142 square meters to 33,498 square meters, increasing its stated passenger capacity from 595 to 1,600.

The runway is also being extended from 2,142 meters to 2,500 meters to improve the airport’s operational capacity.

To streamline passenger processing, the upgraded facility will have 22 check-in counters, up from the existing three, and three passenger boarding bridges to make boarding and disembarking more convenient.

The airport’s air traffic control tower is also being upgraded from a six-storey structure to a nine-storey building to support air traffic management and airport operations.

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The national government has allocated more than P3 billion for the airport’s development, which is intended to address the limitations of its existing facilities amid sustained passenger demand.

DZR Airport handled about 1.65 million passengers in 2025 and serves domestic routes connecting Tacloban City with Manila, Cebu, Davao and Iloilo. It handles approximately 20 flights daily, although schedules vary.

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The airport serves as a major air gateway to Leyte, Samar and other provinces in Eastern Visayas, making its expansion important to the region’s tourism industry, business activities and overall economic growth.

The rehabilitation is also part of efforts to improve an airport that sustained severe damage when Super Typhoon Yolanda struck Tacloban and other parts of Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013.

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Once completed and operational, the expanded facility is expected to provide better services to travelers and strengthen Tacloban’s role as a regional transportation hub.