Last May I went to Boracay and use the Caticlan Airport. Inside the plane there was a US family very excited in having a vacation in Boracay. As we are about to land, our plane made a very sharp turn in approaching the landing area and then suddenly as it landed on the ground made an abrupt stop.


The mother of the US family was very shocked of how the plane landed. I overheard her swearing never to come again in this beautiful island of Boracay because of this rollercoaster like feeling she had. I feel sad about the comment and comforted myself that her perception will change once she is already basking in the sun and enjoying the white beach of Boracay.

I told myself that hopefully the plan to extend and widen the airport of Caticlan push thru.

Now, I am hearing that there is a group against this and using the environment as the reason not to extend Caticlan Airport’s landing area. Well they may have a valid point but there is a better way of safeguarding the environment vis-a-vis stretching further the airport.

I don’t know but logically if there will be more travellers that can be accommodated because on an improved airport then all these cause oriented groups for the environment is ask that a fee for improving and developing the environment be taken from the increased volume of visitors in the island.

There is a better way, a middle point to address the environment concerns. I also hope that it is really the environmental concerns that the group is after for opposing the improvement of Caticlan Airport. And not what is splattered in every major dailies that the opposition real motive is to protect the interest of another airport slightly far from Boracay.

When the x’s and the y’s are all considered, I know that a new Caticlan Airport is a more just choice. It will bring more business. It will give improve the safety of passengers that arrive and depart from Boracay. All of this redound to a better tourism and economy for our country.