Laguindingan Airport – When a Public Utility Became a Toll Gate!

Before Laguindingan International Airport was placed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), it operated as a true public utility. The pick-up and waiting areas were free, and the only charge was for overnight parking. Yes, there were abuses—especially by colorum vans and shuttle operators who turned the parking area into their garage and terminal—but ordinary families picking up their passengers were not charged. The airport was a gateway for the region, not a toll gate for the people.

When the airport was placed under the PPP, the philosophy of management changed. Access that was once free became a commercial product. What used to be a normal waiting time became a revenue source. The airport that was meant for the public began operating like a business that saw every vehicle as a customer, not as part of a public service.

Today, if a vehicle stays more than 15 minutes in the pick-up area, it is automatically charged ₱50, even if the passenger is already walking out of the terminal. Overnight parking now costs nearly ₱600 per 24 hours, even though the parking area is far from the terminal, not paved, difficult to walk with luggage, muddy, dangerous during rain or flooding, and poorly lit at night. In reality, the airport is charging urban-level fees while providing rural-level parking conditions.

Worse, even outside the airport gate, roadside parking is now prohibited. This forces drivers who are picking up passengers to enter the airport and park, which leads to immediate charges because 15 minutes is too short. If they choose not to enter, their only option is to park in a far-off area that is dangerous, with curved and narrow roads, no pedestrian paths, and a high risk of accidents. This system is not just expensive—it is unsafe and not tourist-friendly.

This system is clearly anti-poor and regressive. Laguindingan is not an airport for corporate executives; it serves Bukidnon farmers, Misamis Oriental workers, students, OFW families, and small entrepreneurs. For many families, ₱50 is already a day’s transport or food, and ₱600 is two days of household expenses. When a family is forced to pay just to pick up a loved one, the airport ceases to be neutral infrastructure and becomes a barrier to mobility.

This is not how airport access is managed internationally. Around the world, pick-up and curbside areas are controlled to prevent congestion and ensure safety, not to generate revenue. The standard practice is a 15–30 minute free grace period, supported by free or low-cost waiting areas so vehicles do not block traffic. Charges are meant to discourage long-term parking and commercial abuse—not to punish families or tourists.

It is also important to be clear: parking and waiting areas do need regulation. Colorum vans and long-stay vehicles were a real problem in the past. But the correct response is enforcement and zoning, not the commercialization of basic passenger access. Regulation protects the public; commercialization burdens the public.

The reason fees have become stricter is obvious. Under the PPP, the operator must recover billions of pesos in investment and generate profit. The fastest revenue does not come from airlines but from parking, pick-up, and access fees. But an airport is not an ordinary business. It is a Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines-regulated aerodrome and a public utility, and the public interest cannot be sacrificed for cash flow.

This is where CAAP must step in. Even with a private operator, CAAP has a legal and moral duty to ensure that the airport does not become anti-poor, abusive, or a toll gate for the people. Fees must be reasonable, and services must be commensurate with what is being charged.

The proper policy is not radical—it is practical and fair. Pick-up parking should be free, with a clear 15–30 minute grace period. The airport should provide waiting areas with limited free slots and paid slots to manage traffic and abuse. Overnight parking must be paved, safe, flood-resistant, and served by a shuttle.

In the end, Laguindingan Airport is not meant for profit alone—it is meant for the people, for tourism, and for the development of Northern Mindanao.