Northern samar: The proposed development of a new airport in Northern Samar has moved forward with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) opening the bidding for consulting services for the project, the provincial government announced on Wednesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the procurement covers several studies and plans considered essential to the preparation of the proposed airport, including the feasibility study and master plan, environmental and social impact assessment, and Land Acquisition and Resettlement Action Plan. The proposed location of the new airport is in Pambujan town, about 37 km east of Catarman, the capital of Northern Samar.

The proposed project comes as Northern Samar faces growing transportation and economic demands and as the existing Catarman Airport continues to operate within physical and capacity limitations. With the opening of the consulting-services procurement, the proposed New Northern Samar Airport has entered a key preparatory phase. The feasibility study, master plan, and other assessments will help determine the project's technical, environmental, social, and land-acquisition requirements.

If pursued, the proposed airport would be intended to address the capacity and aircraft limitations of the existing Catarman Airport, while providing infrastructure that can accommodate greater passenger volumes and future expansion. The local government reported that the existing Catarman Airport has a 1,600-meter runway and a passenger terminal that was previously designed to accommodate up to 80 passengers at a time. The airport can also accommodate two turboprop aircraft simultaneously.

These limitations restrict the size and type of aircraft that can operate at the facility, consequently limiting the airport's capacity to handle a larger volume of passengers. A previous assessment cited Philippine Airlines as noting that a larger airport capable of accommodating bigger aircraft could increase passenger capacity and improve fuel efficiency. Such improvements could potentially give airlines greater flexibility in pricing, including promotional fares.