Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport

During World War II

First known as San Jose Airstrip, after the village where it is located, it was constructed as an airstrip for the US Air Force and a Seaplane base for the U.S. Navy by Seabees of the 88th Naval Construction Battalion at Leyte-Samar Naval Base^[3] Ca during World War II. USAF units based here included the 43d Bombardment Wing (15 November 1944 – 16 March 1945), 345th Bombardment Group (1 January – 13 February 1945), 417th Bombardment Group (6 December–22, 1944), 49th Fighter Group (24 October – 30 December 1944), 348th Fighter Group (16 November 1944 – 4 February 1945), 421st Night Fighter Squadron (25 October 1944 – 8 February 1945), and the 547th Night Fighter Squadron (9 November 1944 – 11 January 1945).

After World War II, when the airport was converted for use in commercial aviation, it became known popularly as Tacloban National Airport. The airport was given its current name in honor of Daniel Z. Romualdez, a representative from Leyte who became the 10th speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives. He was the uncle of Imelda Romualdez Marcos, the wife of president Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Devastation by Typhoon Haiyan and contemporary history

On November 7–8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan roared through Tacloban and the Eastern Visayas Region. The Tacloban Airport was effectively destroyed by winds averaging to 314 km/h (195 mph) and a 4.0-meter (13 ft) storm surge. The airport terminal and the control tower were utterly demolished, and the airport was rendered unusable. The airport reopened on November 11 initially for turboprop aircraft,^[4] before reopening to A320 flights by November 14.^[5]

On January 17, 2015, Pope Francis celebrated an open-air Mass that attracted nearly half a million pilgrims from all over the country at the airport apron to remember the devastation wrought by Typhoon Haiyan.^[6][7]

Expansion and future development

In 1997, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted a study which indicated the need for expansion of Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport, along with Legazpi Airport, Bacolod City Domestic Airport, and Mandurriao Airport in Iloilo City.^[8]

Expansion works for the existing passenger terminal began in 2017 to address congestion in the airport.^[9] On March 16, 2018, the expanded passenger terminal was inaugurated.^[10]

Part of the development project is the construction of the new terminal building and the extension of the runway from 2,100 to 2,500 meters (6,900 to 8,200 ft). These developments are necessary to make the airport an international airport by 2026.^[11][12]

Passenger terminal

Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport has a single-level terminal building. The departure area has one boarding gate, scanners, and a souvenir counter. The arrival area consists of a single baggage carousel, and a porters' assistance desk.

In 2017, construction began on the expansion of the passenger terminal building which added 1,100 square meters (12,000 sq ft) of floor area and additional 275 seats in the pre-departure area. The additional seats increased the pre-departure area capacity to 635 seats, enough to accommodate passengers for at least three simultaneous flights, compared to 360 prior to the construction. The check-in area was also expanded.^[10]

On September 15, 2020, then-House Majority Leader and Leyte's 1st district representative Martin Romualdez unveiled the approved design of the terminal.^[13] Construction on the ₱1.96 billion terminal with a capacity of 1,670 passengers started in the same year and is halfway complete as of March 2023.^[14]

Runway

The airport has a single 2,100-meter (6,900 ft) runway running in a direction of 18°/36°. There are plans to extend the runway to 2,500 meters (8,200 ft).^[15] It would be implemented by 2025 to make the airport capable of handling international flights.^[14]

Other structures

Other structures include a communications tower and an administrative building. The communications tower is located on the east end of the terminal building. It serves as the main communications facility of the airport. The administrative building houses the offices of airport staff and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.