Provincial lawmakers and public works officials have revived plans for an international airport in Medellin, northern Cebu, with discussions underway to fund a critical project feasibility study by the third quarter of 2026.
Representative Sun Shimura and DPWH 7 Director Simon Arias are pushing for a full-scale international facility, utilizing a flat, 10-hectare historical municipal airport site to ease development requirements.
Initially proposed in 2014 by the late Representative Benhur Salimbangon following Super Typhoon Yolanda, the long-delayed infrastructure initiative stalled for years after failing to secure essential feasibility study funding.
TALKS are officially underway to build a major international airport hub in northern Cebu. Provincial lawmakers and public works officials have revived a long-delayed project that could soon turn a historical municipal site into a massive economic gateway.
The proposed development is being envisioned as a landmark legacy project for the province's fourth district. If funding moves forward, a crucial feasibility study for the multi-million peso aviation facility could begin as early as the third quarter of this year.
Rep. Sun Shimura (Cebu, 4th District) revealed that high-level discussions have already taken place with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
“The President would really like a legacy project, hoping that the establishment of an airport in the northern part of our province can already be started,” Shimura said in Cebuano.
Lawmakers are pushing hard to secure the necessary funding to get the initial assessments off the ground.
“If we can have the feasibility study as what we have discussed, [The Department of Transportation] was also there, they would want to put up a budget on the third quarter of this year,” Shimura added.
The town of Medellin is currently under evaluation to serve as the foundation for the new international hub. The project will only require minimal construction and earth-moving work because of the area's naturally flat terrain.
Medellin already has an existing 10-hectare property that was formerly used as the town's local airport, making it the ideal spot for the proposed expansion. However, local leaders emphasize that the upcoming feasibility study must be completed first to officially determine if a massive airport is viable for the northern area of the province.
Plans for a northern Cebu aviation facility actually date back to 2014, shortly after the devastation brought by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). The project was initially championed by the late Rep. Benhur Salimbangon when Shimura was still serving as a provincial board member.
The initiative stalled for years following Salimbangon's death and failed to secure the money needed for a feasibility study. Now, leaders are determined to bring the vision back to life.
“We are actually trying to push it (airport),” said Shimura. “We are hoping for the best na madayon na gyud ni siya (that this will finally push through).”
DPWH Region 7 Director Simon Arias has reportedly been “insistent” on building a full-scale international airport rather than a purely domestic facility. Officials say the combination of available land and an expanding regional road network makes the location perfect for a large-scale international aviation project.
Cebu Province currently has a total of 16 airports, airstrips, heliports, and a seaplane terminal, though most are closed and some are privately owned. According to aviation data from ourairports.com, the province has four heliports, nine airstrips, one seaplane terminal and two active airports.
Currently, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City handles the province's international and domestic flights. Meanwhile, the airport on Bantayan Island operates as a community airport capable of handling 80-passenger aircraft.
Other nearby islands are also seeing rapid upgrades. In Camotes, an existing airstrip used since 2011 for light aircraft is being joined by the brand-new Camotes Domestic Airport. This 27-hectare commercial facility in San Francisco town started construction in 2024 and can accommodate 70-to-80 passenger planes. Just last year, in May 2025, a Piper Turbo Navajo RP-C 6002 successfully made the first-ever touchdown on the island for an official runway assessment.
Once fully completed, the Camotes facility will become Cebu’s third functional domestic airport—paving the way for the northern mainland to secure its own international link to the world.