Central Mindanao Airport
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Central Mindanao Airport Hulugpaan sang Katunganan Mindanao Paliparan ng Gitnang Mindanao | |
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| Summary | |
| Airport type | Public |
| Owner/Operator | Province of Cotabato |
| Serves | M'lang and Kidapawan |
| Location | M'lang, Cotabato, Philippines |
| Coordinates | 06°54′42″N 124°55′27″E / 6.91167°N 124.92417°E |
| Map | |
.svg)  Central Mindanao Airport Location in the Philippines | |
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Central Mindanao Airport,[a] formerly North Cotabato Rural Airport and also known as the M'lang Airport, is an airport serving the general area of M'lang, located in the province of Cotabato in the Philippines. It is the only inland airport of Mindanao with capability for commercial flights. It occupies 62 hectares (150 acres) of lands with a 1.2 kilometres (3,900 ft)-long concrete runway and a terminal building. The airport is primarily intended to support the transport of agricultural produce from the central part of Mindanao.
History
[edit]The Central Mindanao Airport was conceptualized by the Cotabato provincial government under then-Governor Emmanuel Piñol.[1] In 2001, the national government appropriated for its funding of P2.895 million has been included in the national budget of the Philippines for fiscal year 2001.[citation needed]
The Cotabato provincial government acquired the 62 hectares (150 acres) of land in Barangay Tawantawan in 2003 from the heirs of Don Tomas Buenaflor for the airport project.[2] The acquisition of the site was supported by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Senators John Osmeña and Richard Gordon, and Congressmen Bernardo Piñol Jr., Jesus Sacdalan and Nancy Catamco. Construction of the airport began in 2004.[3]
The construction of the airport's terminal building was completed under the administration of then-Governor Jesus Sacdalan[3] with then-President Arroyo leading the inauguration rites of the facility in November 2009.[1] However the airport's opening was mothballed during the administration of Sacdalan's successor Emmylou Mendoza, who cites the inability to transfer the airport to the Department of Transportation due to missing documents.[3]
The airport was used for the first time in February 2016, when the provincial government of Cotabato secured consent from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to use the airport as a hub for a province-wide cloud seeding program to avert a drought.[1]
Governor Catamco who became governor of Cotabato in 2019, asked for the intervention of President Rodrigo Duterte regarding the status of the Central Mindanao Airport. Duterte publicly expressed desire to make the airport operational and instructed Senator and close aide Bong Go to oversee the process, after the head of state was briefed on the airport's status during his visit in M'lang following in earthquake.[2]
Recent developments (2024-2025)
[edit]In March 2025, Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza announced that construction of the Central Mindanao Airport was moving forward with significant progress in land acquisition and funding. The governor confirmed that the airport's feasibility study and master plan had been completed, providing the foundation for implementing various phases of development.[4]
As of March 2025, 10 land titles have been transferred to the provincial government and 18 to the Department of Transportation. An additional 39.2 hectares were acquired for over ₱100 million to facilitate project expansion and ensure proper runway alignment.[4]
In 2024, the airport received ₱300 million in funding as part of ₱1.3 billion allocated to seven airports across Mindanao under the General Appropriations Law. Additional funding of ₱450 million was secured for airside and landside facilities, asphalt, and essential infrastructure through the collaborative efforts of Representatives Ma. Alana Samantha Taliño-Santos and Raymond Democrito Mendoza.[5]
A pitching activity was conducted to present the airport to major Philippine airlines including Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Asia as a potential commercial route.
Upgrading
[edit]In April 2024 seven airports across Mindanao were designated to receive P1.3 billion for new infrastructure development as part of the 2024 General Appropriations Law. Of this, P300 million was earmarked for Central Mindanao airport.[6]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Hiligaynon: Hulugpaan sang Katunganan Mindanao, Filipino: Paliparan ng Gitnang Mindanao
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Arguillas, Carolyn O. (February 20, 2016). "M'lang airport's first use: to fly a plane seeding clouds". MindaNews. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ a b Sarmiento, Bong (3 January 2020). "Duterte wants mothballed Cotabato airport to operate". MindaNews. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- ^ a b c "M'lang Airport must be operational: PRRD". Mindanao Development Authority. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- ^ a b Padillo, Maya (2025-05-27). "Efforts continue to accelerate completion of Central Mindanao Airport, Agro-Industrial Park: Mendoza". Edge Davao. Retrieved 2025-07-19.
- ^ CEDTyClea (2024-04-28). "P1.3B alloted to Mindanao airports". BusinessWorld Online. Retrieved 2025-07-19.
- ^ "Mindanao airports to receive P1.3B for upgrades". Daily Guardian. 2024-04-28. Retrieved 2025-01-15.