BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews / 06 September) — Following complaints over expensive plane tickets to Siargao Island, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that Philippine Airlines (PAL) will set a maximum limit of P11,000 for one-way fares to the island.
Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez made the announcement Thursday after Surigao del Norte 1st district Rep. Francisco Matugas raised complaints from local residents and tourists about high airline fares during the DOTr’s presentation of its proposed 2026 budget before the House appropriations panel on September 4.
“There is already an agreement with PAL, and hopefully we can implement it in the next few days. From P17,500 [one way], I think it will go down to P11,000 [one way]. Just give me a little more time, and maybe we can even ask for a discount,” Lopez said.
He added that the typical cost of a PAL ticket is around P7,500 to P8,000 per passenger.
Carmelo L. Arcilla, executive director of the Civil Aeronautics Board, explained that fares remain high because only small planes can land at Siargao Airport, located in Barangay Sayak in Del Carmen town.
“For example, there are only 72 passengers in an airplane. Compare that to a Cebu Pacific [Airbus] A330 with 426 passengers, the cost of operating the airline is spread across many more people. That’s why fares are higher on smaller planes,” he said.
Arcilla noted that the DOTr aims to extend Siargao Airport’s runways so larger aircraft can land, which would make fares cheaper.
Lopez confirmed this, noting that the agency is reviewing where the runway can be extended, taking into consideration nearby mangrove forests.
“We are coordinating with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. If we are not able to fund it through the 2026 General Appropriations Act, we have already instructed them to set aside money from their corporate operating budget so that we can immediately fund the runway extension,” Lopez said.
He expressed hope that the improvements will further reduce fares.
Currently, airlines plying routes to Siargao, including PAL, Cebu Pacific, and Sunlight Air, use turboprop aircraft to carry passengers.
According to Matugas, there is an average of 18 flights a day to Siargao from Manila, Clark, Cebu, and Davao.
The project to expand the passenger terminal at Siargao Airport started in August. Set to be completed in 2026, the upgraded airport will increase capacity to accommodate at least 750 passengers at any given time, up from the current 200. (Ivy Marie Mangadlao/MindaNews)
