Airport type Public Elevation AMSL 22 m / 71 ft Code PPS Phone +63 48 433 4965 Passenger count 1,337,029 | 09/27 2,600 Elevation 22 m Yearly aircraft movements 7,248 | |
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Address Rizal Avenue, Barangay San Miguel, Puerto Princesa, 5300 Palawan, Philippines | ||
New puerto princesa international airport to open soon
Puerto Princesa International Airport (Tagalog: Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Puerto Princesa; Hiligaynon: Pangkalibutan nga Hulugpaan sang Puerto Princesa) (IATA: PPS, ICAO: RPVP) is an airport serving the general area of Puerto Princesa, located in the province of Palawan in the Philippines. It is classified as an international airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
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The airport is the main gateway to the Puerto Princesa Underground River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
History
The airport dates back during the World War II to accommodate large Japanese transport aircraft to compliment the grass airstrip south of the present-day location of NCCC Mall Palawan in Lacao Street. The airstrip was constructed by the Prisoners of War using crushed corals for illuminating night landings. During the Palawan liberation, several USAAF units were stationed here. It was rehabilitated and opened as a domestic airport around the late 1980s.
World War II
USAAF units based here included:
Expansion plan
To meet the growing air transportation demands of Puerto Princesa and the Province of Palawan, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) awarded the $82.9-million (P2.616 billion) contract to the Kumho Industrial Co. Ltd.-GS Engineering & Construction Joint Venture (Kumho-GS), a South Korean company for the construction of a new passenger terminal building, cargo terminal building, apron, connecting taxiways, new air navigation system, and other support facilities in compliance with the international civil aviation standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The project is slated for 30 months or more than two years before completion. With an upgraded handling capacity of 2 million passengers annually, the new Puerto Princesa International Airport passenger terminal, along with its newly built facilities, is set to formally start commercial operations on 16 April 2017.