Dipolog Airport

Dipolog Airport (Filipino: Paliparan ng Dipolog, Cebuano: Tugpahanan sa Dipolog, Chavacano and Spanish: Aeropuerto de Dipolog) (IATA: DPL, ICAO: RPMG) is the main airport serving the general area of Dipolog City, the capital of Zamboanga del Norte, in the Philippines. The airport is one of the busiest in Mindanao, especially considering its classification. The airport is classified as a secondary airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), a body of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) that is responsible for the operations of not only this airport but also of all other airports in the Philippines except the major international airports.

In 2005, the airport handled 75,751 passengers. Its passenger traffic has grown at least 52% from year 2000 statistical figures with an average annual growth rate of around 10.4%

During the incumbency of Matias C. Ranillo, Sr. as Governor of Zamboanga peninsula in 1937-1941, President Quezon together with his daughters Zenaida and Aurora "Baby", were invited to inaugurate the opening of the first bridge linking Dipolog to nearby Dapitan City in 1939. The bridge stands to this day as the Quezon Bridge. The 600-meter macadam airstrip was opened in October 1941, a few months prior to the outbreak of WWII, by then-Vice President Sergio Osmeña and Chief of Staff Basilio Valdez. They inaugurated the airport on a flight onboard a Douglas DC-2 of the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC). They were welcomed by Governor Matias C. Ranillo, Sr. but the entourage promptly proceeded to Dipolog Cathedral for a thanksgiving mass since the plane almost crashed at landing. Fa. Nicasio Patangan was the officiating priest.

Commercial Traffic

The late 80's saw a dramatic upsurge in foreign tourist arrival. Aerolift Philippines launched flights to Manila using a Beechcraft 1900-C aircraft in 1987.

The airport's commercial viability for growth was established as more flights were mounted by Philippine Airlines prompting the national government to introduce further development. The City Government of Dipolog City incorporated its growth potential in their development strategy plan .

In 1992, after extending its runway by 500 meters and constructing a control tower, the airport officially welcomed its first mid-sized passenger jet, a Philippine Airlines Boeing 737-300. On the same year, daily flights to Dumaguete City were introduced by PAL using Short 360 aircraft but was dropped one year later.

In 2002, at least 25% of the passenger traffic bound for Dipolog Airport are composed of foreign tourists .

In July 2006, Cebu Pacific launched non-stop service to Manila utilizing an Airbus 319-200 with a seating capacity of 150 passengers.

In December 2006, it registered a maximum traffic of 330 daily passengers on several occasions based on the aircraft's available capacity serving the route with Philippine Airlines utilizing the much bigger Boeing 737-400 with a seating capacity of 180 passengers.

The airport is expected to handle more than 150,000 passengers per year by 2009 or an average of 415 daily passengers, which is equivalent to 3 narrow-body aircraft flights or two flights using one wide-body and one narrow-body aircraft.

Airport Master Plan

Third Airport Development Project

The Dipolog Airport upgrading project was part of The 1997 Third Airport Development Project, a six-airport package which was supposed to be funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the Philippine government with its counterpart fund . However, the Philippine government failed to provide on the counterpart fund for the $93 million project. The ADB loan was cancelled effective May 31, 2003 .

Scope of Work

Designs for rehabilitation and upgrading were undertaken by COWI-NACO JV, with three local sub-consultants: TransAsia, Basic Team and COWI Philippines.  The scope of works included:

Runway rehabilitation, extension and widening, and improvements of taxiways and aprons

Grading of safety areas adjacent to the runway

Construction of proper fencing between airside and landside areas

Installation of x-ray equipment

Upgrading of terminal and construction of new cargo building and other support facilities to increase service levels to handle forecast traffic for year 2010

Installation of runway, approach lights and navigational aids in order to meet the international ICAO safety and security standards

Expansion of utility facilities such as water supply and sewage treatment and

Improvements of landside parking facilities.

As of April 2007, only items number one, two, five, six, and seven were not yet implemented due to huge budgetary requirements.