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Central Mindanao Airport ( hil, Hulugpaan sang Katunganan Mindanao), formerly North Cotabato Rural Airport and also known as the M'lang Airport, is an airport serving the general area of
M'lang M'lang, officially the Municipality of M'lang ( Hiligaynon: ''Banwa sang M'lang;'' Maguindanaon: ''Inged nu Melang'', Jawi: ايڠايد نو ملڠ), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cotabato, Philippines. According to the ...
, located in the province of
Cotabato Cotabato or North Cotabato ( hil, Aminhan Cotabato; ceb, Amihanang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pangutaran Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤڠوترن كوتاواتو; fil, Hilagang Cotabato), officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in ...
in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. It is the only inland airport of
Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
with capability for commercial flights. It occupies of lands with a -long concrete runway and a terminal building. The airport is primarily intended to support the transport of agricultural produce from the central part of Mindanao.


History

The Central Mindanao Airport was conceptualized by the Cotabato provincial government under then-Governor
Emmanuel Piñol Emmanuel "Manny" Fantin Piñol (born December 16, 1953) is a Filipino politician, journalist, writer, agriculture advocate and agribusinessman. He most recently served in President Rodrigo Duterte's cabinet as chairman of the Mindanao Develop ...
. In 2001, the national government appropriated for its funding of P2.895 million has been included in the national budget of the Philippines for fiscal year 2001. The Cotabato provincial government acquired the of land in Barangay Tawantawan in 2003 from the heirs of Don Tomas Buenaflor for the airport project. The acquisition of the site was supported by President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, House Deputy Spe ...
, Senators
John Osmeña John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
and Richard Gordon, and Congressmen Bernardo Piñol Jr., Jesus Sacdalan and
Nancy Catamco Nancy Alaan Catamco is a Filipina politician and the incumbent governor of the Province of Cotabato. She became the 25th governor and the 3rd female governor of the province when she was elected to the position in 2019. She is also the 1st governo ...
. Construction of the airport began in 2004. The construction of the airport's terminal building was completed under the administration of then-Governor Jesus Sacdalan with then-President Arroyo leading the inauguration rites of the facility in November 2009. However the airport's opening was mothballed during the administration of Sacdalan's successor Emmylou Mendoza, who cites the inability to transfer the airport to the Department of Transportation due to missing documents. The airport was used for the first time in February 2016, when the provincial government of Cotabato secured consent from the
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP, ; fil, Pangasiwaan sa Abyasyong Sibil ng Pilipinas) is the civil aviation authority of the Philippines and is responsible for implementing policies on civil aviation to assure safe, econo ...
(CAAP) to use the airport as a hub for a province-wide cloud seeding program to avert a drought. Governor Catamco who became governor of Cotabato in 2019, asked for the intervention of President
Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
regarding the status of the Central Mindanao Airport. Duterte publicly expressed desire to make the airport operational and instructed Senator and close aide
Bong Go Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Tesoro Go (; born June 14, 1974) is a Filipino politician serving as a Senator since 2019. He previously served in the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte as Special Assistant to the President and Head of the Presi ...
to oversee the process, after the head of state was briefed on the airport's status during his visit in
M'lang M'lang, officially the Municipality of M'lang ( Hiligaynon: ''Banwa sang M'lang;'' Maguindanaon: ''Inged nu Melang'', Jawi: ايڠايد نو ملڠ), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cotabato, Philippines. According to the ...
following in earthquake.


Cost

Some P430 million was allocated for the construction of the airport.


See also

*
List of airports in the Philippines This is a list of airports in the Philippines, grouped by type. Classification Regulation over airports and aviation in the Philippines lies with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). The CAAP's classification system, introduce ...


References

Airports in the Philippines Buildings and structures in Cotabato Transportation in Mindanao Buildings and structures under construction in the Philippines {{Philippines-airport-stub