Zamboanga City, July 19, 2025 — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has proposed an additional P500 million allocation for the New Zamboanga International Airport (NZIA) under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), further bolstering development efforts for the region’s future air transport hub.
The proposal was disclosed during a coordination meeting on July 18 at the City Hall conference room, attended by Acting Mayor Beng Climaco, Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Mayor Celso Lobregat, and DOTr representatives. The proposed amount supplements the P130 million already earmarked for NZIA in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which covers road right-of-way acquisitions and structural developments.
The additional funding is seen as a critical move to sustain the momentum of the project, which has already incurred P1.849 billion in expenses as of mid-July. These include the full payment of 135 land parcels worth P932 million, partial payments for 188 lots totaling P725 million, expropriation costs for 25 lots, and miscellaneous fees. In terms of infrastructure, 147 structures have been fully paid, while 29 are pending full settlement.
The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is also throwing its support behind the project, tagging the NZIA as one of its “big-ticket” infrastructure priorities. MinDA AMO Western Mindanao Focal Person for Zamboanga, Cecille La Plana, revealed efforts to explore the inclusion of the NZIA under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program to fast-track its completion and improve regional connectivity.
However, major concerns remain unresolved, particularly regarding the proposed relocation of the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) to Mercedes. Acting Mayor Climaco and Chief of Staff Lobregat, under the guidance of Mayor Khymer Olaso, emphasized the need for thorough studies on the environmental and agricultural impact of the proposed relocation site, which is currently an irrigation area vital to local farmers.
Climaco also urged the Department of National Defense to consider allocating funding in the GAA for the EAAB transfer, noting the socio-economic and environmental stakes tied to the decision.
As Zamboanga City pushes forward with this transformative infrastructure, local and national officials are working to ensure a balance between progress and the protection of community livelihoods and ecosystems.