MANILA, Philippines—Zamboanga City will upgrade its airport to accommodate the Philippine Air Force’s FA-50 light fighters in a bid to bolster air defense in the South.
On a Facebook post, Mayor Beng Climaco said a P245 million budget for the improvement of Zamboanga International Airport had been included in the P4.5 trillion proposed national budget for 2021 that has been approved by Congress’ bicameral conference committee early this week.
Air Force officials based at the Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga had requested the runway improvement.
Climaco said the project will allow the city’s airport runways to be accessible for takeoff and landing of FA-50 light fighters which, she said, “will strengthen air defense maneuver.” It would also allow quicker response to security needs of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces.