By Carl Lorenciana, Cebu Economic Journalists Association
Passenger traffic at Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) grew by around nine percent in the first half of 2026, handling 6,467,538 passengers despite the increasingly competitive environment for international tourism and aviation in Southeast Asia.
That competition is important.
Cebu is no longer competing only with destinations in the Philippines. It is competing with Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur and other regional gateways that continue to improve their connectivity, infrastructure and tourism offerings.
This is where MCIA becomes particularly important.
An airport is not just where people arrive and leave. For a tourism destination, the airport is part of the destination’s brand.
MCIA has increasingly become part of Cebu’s identity. Its design, passenger experience, international connectivity, service standards and growing list of recognitions have helped project Cebu as a modern, internationally connected and competitive Philippine hub.
MCIA is a compelling example of what a well-executed public-private partnership can achieve. Private management has brought investment, operational expertise, innovation and a stronger customer-oriented approach.
Perhaps this is where we should start looking at MCIA differently.
It should not only be regarded as Cebu’s airport. It should be regarded as one of the country’s strategic gateways.
Manila will remain the Philippines’ principal aviation hub. But the country’s dependence on a single dominant gateway also presents an opportunity.
Cebu is strategically positioned in the center of the country, closer to many destinations in the Visayas and Mindanao.
MCIA deserves serious consideration as a stronger alternative gateway to Manila.
The airport has already demonstrated that it can handle international traffic, attract airlines, improve passenger experience and compete on the global stage.
What it needs now is greater connectivity.
More direct international routes mean more tourists, business travelers, investment opportunities and connectivity for Filipinos in the Visayas and Mindanao.
What more can Cebu offer if airlines give it more flights?
Cebu already has the tourism infrastructure, a strong domestic market, an internationally recognized airport, a strategic location and a private operator that has demonstrated its ability to continuously improve the facility.
MCIA has shown what a successful PPP (public-private partnership) can look like. It has shown that a Philippine airport can become a tourism brand and that Cebu can compete internationally.
Most importantly, it has shown that the Philippines does not have to depend entirely on Manila to connect itself to the world.
Now, it is time for airlines, the National Government and the tourism industry to think bigger about Cebu, not merely as another Philippine destination, but as one of Southeast Asia’s gateways to the Philippines.
The potential is already there. We just need to connect more of the world to it.
