The Bangsamoro Airport Authority (BAA), led by OIC-Director Hanamir Emblawa, CPA, and the Civil Aeronautics Board of the Bangsamoro (CABB), OIC-Director Muhammad Galo, and the rest of the team set a meeting with CAAP Region IX- Acting Area Center Manager Edwin Luching to venture on exploratory talks that aimed at assessing the operational status of the newly turned over CAAP managed airports in BARMM by the ratification of the Republic Act No. 11054 otherwise known as the Bangsamoro Organic Law, and to identify priority areas for improvement following the international standard by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), held October 21, 2023- at CAAP Area Center IX Pagadian Airport.
The Bangsamoro Airport Authority (BAA) assumed landside operation and management of six regional airports from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) last January 10, 2023. Awang Airport in Maguindanao del Norte, Sanga-Sanga Airport in Tawi-Tawi, and Jolo Airport in Sulu are classified as operational airports, while Wao Airport in Lanao del Sur, Malabang Airport in Lanao del Sur, and Mapun Airstrip in Tawi-Tawi are for airport developments on their strategic importance.
Meanwhile, on the issue of perimeter security, Atty Emblawa reiterated outlining the perimeter fence and deploying security forces from the Office of Transportation Security (OTS) and CAAP to implement a comprehensive perimeter security plan so that airports can reduce the risk of threats.
Moreover, the Sanga Sanga Airport’s rehabilitation of the Passengers Terminal Building PTB should adhere to national standards as the airport hub handles Airbus planes, increased flights, and passengers, and its location is near Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP_EAGA) strategic for trade, commerce, and tourism said CAAP Manager Luching.
Finally, Atty Emblawa expressed hopes to pursue the feasibility study on the Mapun Airport so that BAA’s goal to speed up the movement of people and goods despite topographical barriers would bridge connectivity between remote places.