Lingayen Airport upgrade pushed for big planes

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade promised to fund the town’s airport upgrade to accommodate commercial flights, after finding that only flying schools were using it.

“I don’t think we built this airport to be used only by flying schools,” said Tugade, who was here last week to launch Tsuper Iskolar, a scholarship program of the Department of Transportation and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

The Lingayen Airport was built by the Americans in the 1930s. It was classified as a community airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

To be able to accommodate commercial flights, the airport’s 1,060-meter runway will be extended to at least 1,800 m. —Gabriel Cardinoza