Land Use Conversion vs. Land Use Reclassification

Agricultural lands reclassified by the LGUs into non-agricultural purposes before the effectivity date of R.A.No. 6657 (CARP), that is, June 15, 1988 are not subject to Land Use Conversion Proceedings as made clear by Department of Justice (DOJ) Opinion No. 44, Series of 1990.  

Thus, all lands that are ALREADY CLASSIFIED as commercial, industrial or residential BEFORE 15 June 1988 NO LONGER NEED any land conversion. Moreover, Republic Act No. 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL), Section 3, Paragraph (c) defines "agricultural land" as referring to "land devoted to agricultural activity as defined in this Act and not classified as mineral, forest, residential, commercial or industrial land."

If the land is reclassified before the effectivity of RA 6657 on June 15, 1988, it no longer requires land conversion process but an exemption clearance from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) instead. However, if the reclassification is done after the said date, the conversion process should be undertaken.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Opinion No. 44, Series of 1990 and the case of Natalia Realty vs. Department of Agrarian Reform (12 August 1993/225 SCRA 278) pronounces that with respect to the conversion of agricultural lands covered by RA No. 6657 to non-agricultural uses, the authority of the Department of Agrarian Reform to approve such conversion maybe exercised from the date of its effectivity on 15 June 1988.

Land Use Reclassification of agricultural lands refer to identifying the utilization of agricultural lands (whether agricultural use, residential, commercial, industrial, etc.) as expressed in the land use plan, which is subject to the requirements and procedures imposed by law for land use conversion, to be undertaken by a Local Government Unit (LGU) pursuant to Section 20 of Republic Act (R.A.) 7160 and Joint Memorandum Circular (MC-54-1995) executed by and between the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Agriculture (DA),  Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB). It also includes the reversion of non-agricultural lands to agricultural use.

Land use conversion is the act or process of changing the current physical use of a piece of agricultural land into some other use, as approved by Department of Agrarian Reform.

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Opinion No. 44, the authority of DAR to allow conversion is not limited only to lands awarded under CARL. It is believed to be the intention of the Agrarian Reform (AR) Law that any conversion of private agricultural land to non-agricultural uses should be cleared beforehand by DAR. DOJ also expressed the view that conversions of agricultural lands covered by RA 6657 to non-agricultural uses, the authority of DAR to approve such conversion may be exercised from the date of the effectivity of the law.

(Cover photo courtesy of HLURB)

Link: PRIMER ON LAND USE CONVERSION

Cagayan PARCCOM-PCIT to accelerate CARP implementation and monitor flagship projects

      The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Provincial Office of Cagayan-Batanes kick started the year with a joint Provincial Agrarian Reform Coordinating Committee (PARCCOM) and Provincial CARP Implementing Team (PCIT) meeting on January 26, 2018 in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan wherein the representatives of the member-agencies presented their agency thrusts in so far as CARP implementation is concerned.

     The National Irrigation Adminstration (NIA) reported on current irrigation projects in Cagayan and on the P2.696-billion Chico River Pump Irrigation Project, an electric motor pump driven irrigation which will service 8,700 hectares of agricultural land benefitting 4,350 farmers in 21 barangays in Cagayan, Kalinga and Apayao. The project is expected to provide an incremental net income of up to P42,273 per hectare a year from the farmers’ previous P28, 952 per hectare annual income without the irrigation. It will be able to provide around 7,580 jobs during the implementation period and around 8,700 people will have permanent jobs when completed and becomes operation in three years. 
      The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) introduced new technologies on fertilizer production made from carrageenan, a substance extracted from red and purple seaweeds abundant along the coastal town in Cagayan province, consisting of a mixture of polysaccharides. It is traditionally used as a thickening or emulsifying agent in food products. Carrageenan as a growth enhancer offers an array of benefits that result in improved productivity. When used properly, it makes the rice stem stronger improving rice resistance to logging. It becomes resistant to rice ‘tungro’ virus and bacterial leaf blight resulting to increased harvest by farmers. 
      The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) also presented the various ongoing activities for promotion and marketing of agrarian reform beneficiaries’ products the Shared Service Faciities (SSF) being distributed to qualified farmers' organizations. 
       The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Register of Deeds (ROD) also reported on their activities for the acquisition and distribution of lands covered by CARP, among many others. One highlight of the meeting is the joint efforts of the member-agencies which resulted to the resolution of specific legal and factual issues facilitating the acquisition of the hundreds of hectares of farmlands located in the Solana-Piat boundary. Other equally important issues and concerns on CARP implementation were likewise resolved during the meeting.      Representatives from KilusangPagbabago,  namely, Mr. Nathaniel Gumangan, Public Relations Officer, KP-Cagayan Valley and Mr. Napoleon Baltazar, Program Director, KP-Cagayan Valley also briefly discussed Malacanang Executive Order No. 9, Series of 2016 regarding the mandate to promote Participatory Governance as a way of empowering the agrarian reform beneficiaries and other farmers among others. In addition, the role of the Kilusang Pagbabago in monitoring government programs and projects was also emphasized. 

    The Joint PARCCOM-PCIT is pursuant to the provisions of Executive Order No. 406 that mandates certain departments and agencies to review, evaluate and align their programs and projects in order to integrate them into the major thrusts of the CARP.  EO No. 406 also directs the DAR to accelerate the agrarian reform beneficiaries' development through the provision of economic and social infrastructure support.

      The PCIT is composed of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation andCommunication, Department of National Defense, Department of Justice, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Trade and Industry, LandBank of the Philippines and Land Registration Authority.

      Section 44 and Section 45 of RA 6657 mandated the creation of a Provincial Agrarian Reform Coordinating Committee (PARCCOM) in each province, composed of a Chairman, who shall be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the EXCOM, the Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer as Executive Officer, and one representative each from the Departments of Agriculture, and of Environment and Natural Resources and from the LBP, one representative each from existing farmers’ organizations, agricultural cooperatives and non-governmental organizations in the province; two representatives from landowners, at least one of whom shall be a producer representing the principal crop of the province, and two representatives from farmer and farmworker-beneficiaries, at least one of whom shall be a farmer or farmworker representing the principal crop of the province, as members: provided, that in areas where there are cultural communities, the latter shall likewise have one representative.

      The PARCCOM shall coordinate and monitor the implementation of the CARP in the province. It shall provide information on the provisions of the CARP, guidelines issued by the PARC and on the progress of the CARP in the province.

      The PARCCOM is the provincial counterpart of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) Executive Committee (ExCom) and the partners of the PARC Secretariat. The PARC is the highest policy-making body in implementing agrarian reform laws. The PARCOMM are tasked with the coordination and monitoring of the programs and activities implemented by the agrarian reform program implementing agencies at the field level.

DARPO Cagayan-Batanes PARO II Engr. Arthur Faeldon addressing the members of the PARCCOM-PCIT.

DENR-PENRO reporting on their agency's thrusts and programs under CARP.

Open forum on the member-agencies 2018 thrusts and programs

The Register of Deeds addressing issues pertaining to registration of land titles and deeds.

Representatives from the Kilusang Pagbabago-Cagayan Valley discussed matters on Participatory Governance.

Activities in the Cooperative Sector were presented with more requests for support services facilities being considered. 

New technology on the production of Carrageenan based soil enhancer by DENR

Presentation on the concerns of private sector representatives

DAR builds Solar Pump Irrigation System in ARCs in Cagayan province

The Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Office of Cagayan-Batanes (DARPO Cagayan-Batanes) has provided funds thru its DAR Central Office, for the construction of the initial three (3) solar pump irrigation system in Cagayan province with technology provided by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soil and Water Management (DA-BSWM). The project costs approximately P877,500.00 per site.

The Solar Pump Irrigation System project will provide solar panels and control accessories that will generate solar energy. Submersible water pumps will draw water from an underground source into concrete water tanks as storage,  and the water from the storage tank shall flow into the vegetable farms through pipes. 

The three pilot sites for the solar pump irrigation systems are located in Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs), specfically: (1) San Esteban Farmers Cooperative in the Eastern Alcala Agrarian Reform Community (Eastern Alcala ARC) in the municipality of Alcala; (2) Lasvinag Multi-Purpose Cooperative in the Lasvinag Agrarian Reform Community (Lasvinag ARC) in the municipality of Gattaran; and (3) Nabbotuan Multi-Purpose Cooperative in the Furaban Agrarian Reform Community (Furaban ARC) in the municipality of Solana. 

On December 18, 2017, an Operation and Maintenance Seminar was conducted to prepare the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBO) members to be able to properly operate and maintain the facilities with a site visit to familiarize the participants with the system.

The Solar Pump Irrigation System resolves the vegetable farmers’ water supply challenges specially with today’s devastating effects of climate change. When operational, they can utilize the systems to provide water to irrigate their vegetable farms, household water supply, livestock raising, etc. The construction of solar pump irrigation systems in the pilot sites are expected to be completed by the end of January 2018 and will be turned over to the ARBO immediately after completion.  

Solar panels provide energy to run the water pumps in vegetable farms with no access to electricity. 

A training on the operation and maintenance was conducted for the recipient-operators of the project. 

Members of the three ARBO-recipients of the project in Cagayan undergo training on operation and maintenance. 

Unlimited water for vegetable farmers through the solar pump (submersible) irrigation system. 

 

27 ARBs from Alcala, Cagayan Graduate from Farm Business School

       Some 27 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries were able to complete the several sessions on the Farm Business School (FBS) training (on Pinakbet vegetables production and marketing) facilitated by the Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Office of Cagayan-Batanes (DARPO Cagayan-Batanes) and the Local Government Unit of Alcala, Cagayan (LGU-Alcala) sometime in December 2017 at the Eastern Alcala Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) in barangay San Esteban, Alcala, Cagayan.

      The Farm Business School aims to equip the participating farmer beneficiaries with skills and knowledge in adding value to their commodities to command higher premium. In addition, they are trained how to market their products to maximize their income.

      After a model is selected and participants are gathered, the FBS proceeded with its three stages: (1) Diagnosis and planning – includes getting to know the farmers and the farmers getting to know each other, teaching basic business concepts, market assessment analysis (SWOT – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats); (2) Implementing – Farmers develop a vision and a goal for their farm business and then work with the trainers to develop a business plan; continue with business education; and (3) Evaluating and re-planning – Benefits and performance are assessed, an action plan is developed and participants prepare for the next season.

    The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) started setting up farm business schools (FBS) in selected communities in different provinces. It is designed to transform farmer-beneficiaries from producers of raw farm goods to becoming agri-entrepreneurs.

   Agrarian Reform Beneficiries (ARBs) are also taught overall farm management techniques, from production to marketing, to increase and ensure the quality of their harvests, raise their income by learning the proper time and specific crops to be produced to avoid flooding the market with similar crops resulting to low prices. It is also aligned with the goal of attaining food security, improving the small farmers’ access to the market and increasing their income by selling their produce at the proper time.  

       The FBS is being supported by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The initial success of the project led to its being replicated in more areas nationwide. /cds

HR Bill okeys funding for DAR and DA to insure ARBs under PCIC

The House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee has approved the provision for funding of a full insurance coverage for all qualified Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). Under the Bill, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) are required to include in their agencies’ programs the operational requirements for the implementation of the ARB insurance program. The House Committee on Agrarian Reform has already endorsed the Bill for plenary approval.

The ARB insurance intends to provide crop insurance protection covering about 224,000  ARBs or members of their farming households involving some 330,000 hectares of agricultural land  and raising some 30,700 farm animals. The bill would provide ARBs with the insurance protection against compensable losses arising from natural calamities, plant diseases, and pest infestations of their crops and those affecting their livestock and farm machineries.

Specifically, compensable losses from which ARBs are insured include natural calamities such as typhoon, flood, drought, earthquake, volcanic eruption, frost, and other destructive natural phenomena such as heat and hot wind. These also include plant diseases caused by pathogens, bacteria, fungi, viruses, virus-like pathogens and other similar foreign bodies, pest infestations caused by nematodes, insects, mites and spiders, millipedes and centipedes, symphylans, slugs and snails, among others, and loss of life and/or injury to the qualified ARB from accident or any other causes.

The insurance shall cover crops such as: palay; corn; sugarcane; high-value crops as defined in Section 4 (b) of RA No. 9700, otherwise known as the “High-Value Crops Development Act of 1995.” Also covered are coconut; tobacco; aquaculture; livestock; and non-crop agricultural assets.

The Bill would complement the already existing agricultural insurance for ARBs presently participating in the agrarian reform production credit program (APCP) and the credit assistance programs for program beneficiaries development in the financing programs implemented by the DA, DAR, Land Bank which cover all the regular insurance as implemented by the PCIC.

Insured ARB in Solana, Cagayan receives indemnification from typhoon damage in Solana, Cagayan.

Cagayan farmer leaders attend orientation on Participatory Governance

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan- More than 500 officers and key members of some 58 agrarian reform organizations in the province of Cagayan attended an orientation on Participatory Governance sometime last November, 2017 as a part of the activities conducted during the 2017 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBO) Summit, peoples’ participation in nation building being one of the key topics during the gathering. The orientation was conducted by Mr Nathaniel Gumangan, PRO of the Kilusang Pagbabago in Cagayan Valley Region (Region 02). Also present during the orientation were PARCCOM member Napoleon Baltazar and Mr. Loreto Batara, Community Administrative Officer V of the Office of Participatory Governance (OPG)  in Malacanang, Manila.  

Participatory governance is a decision-making process that encourages the involvement of more farmers and other stakeholders who chip-in more ideas and inputs to come up with common decisions that fulfill the needs or desire of the majority. The outcome of any decision under this process is generally accepted and facilitates the smoother implementation of a project or program.

The Kilusang Pagbabago is a grassroots-based movement intended to be the eyes of the Duterte administration in ensuring that the delivery of government developmental interventions such as village-level programs and projects truly benefit the masses. It is also the partner of the Duterte administration in pursuing its rural development efforts, specifically, the war against poverty, criminality, and any form of graft and corruption in government.

The orientation also discussed the important provisions of Malacanang Executive Order No. 9, Series of 2016 regarding the creation of the Office of Participatory Governance (OPG) and its functions, such as: (a) Promote and ensure the direct participation of various stakeholders in the crafting and formulation of policies and programs to address concerns at the grassroots level; (b) Initiate programs and projects that will facilitate citizen empowerment and participation in governance at the national, regional and local levels; and (c) Perform such other functions as may be necessary to achieve the above stated goals of the OPG as directed by the CabinetSecretary. 

The Kilusang Pagbabago aims to be a people’s movement that would serve as President Duterte’s partner for change by serving as a watchdog that will fight corruption and ensure that government did not wander from a pro-people agenda. It was also explained to the participants how they can freely utilize the power of the Dial 8888 hotline where the public can file complaints against government officials/offices.

It was restated that citizens in their communities can participate in governance by being informed about issues affecting their quality of life directly and bringing their concerns to the government as guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution. 

Author with Nap Baltazar, Program Director and Nath Gumangan, Public Relations Officer, Kilusang Pagbabago-Cagayan Valley LOI. 

More that 500 ARB cooperative/organization officers and key members from Cagayan province attended the Orientation on Participatory Governance facilitated by Kilusang Pagbabago-Cagayan Valley LOI.

Interfacing with ARB Cooperative leaders on specific issues on participatory governance. 

Message from Larry Batarra, CAO V, Office of Participatory Governance, Malacanang

DAR-Cagayan hosts ARBO Summit 2017

The Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Office of Cagayan-Batanes (DARPO Cagayan-Batanes) hosted an Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization (ARBO) Summit on November 13 to 18, 2017 in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan attended by more than 400 coop/organization leaders and officers. It serves as a platform for leaders and members of ARBOs—cooperatives and associations formed by agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Cagayan province - to convene, exchange knowledge, and strengthen their capacities in agricultural enterprise development.

The ARBO Summit aims to: (1) Enhance Agro-Enterprise Development: The summit focuses on improving the implementation of DAR’s programs, projects, particularly its agro-enterprise development component. This initiative seeks to connect smallholder farmers to markets and microfinance opportunities, thereby boosting their economic prospects; (2) Facilitate Knowledge Exchange: By bringing together ARBO leaders and stakeholders, the summit provides a forum for sharing best practices, experiences, and strategies to overcome challenges in agrarian communities; and (3) Recognize Outstanding ARBOs: The event also serves to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of exemplary ARBOs.

The ARBO Summit is instrumental in advancing the goals of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) by: (1) Empowering ARBOs: Providing training and resources to enhance the organizational and entrepreneurial capabilities of ARBOs; (2) Promoting Sustainable Agriculture: Encouraging the adoption of best practices and innovative approaches to increase agricultural productivity and sustainability; and (3) Strengthening Partnerships: Fostering collaboration among ARBOs, government gencies, and development partners to support rural development and poverty alleviation.

It is also a way of promoting camaraderie among the different agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and other farmer-leaders; provide opportunities for learning from specific good practices of other successful ARBOs by meeting and talking about their experiences; share their best innovative practices; and also promote unity and cooperation among the different cooperatives and other organizations in the province.

Presently, there are at least two Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) Clusters in the province and two more are being organized. An ARC Cluster is composed to two or more ARCs organized into groups primarily  to reduce poverty, and have sustained improvements in incomes and quality of life through business engagements proportionate to economies of scale, i.e., a proportionate saving in costs gained by an increased level of production. Hence, unity among the members and officers in the agrarian reform communities is essential value to sustain the programs that will have an impact against poverty in the countryside.

The participants of the ARBO Summit also received updates on the DAR’s programs and thrusts  particularly on land tenure, farm mechanization, solar irrigation pump projects, sugarcane block farms, livelihood programs, climate change mitigation and adaptation activities, enterprise development, credit and microfinance programs, institutional development programs, etc., all of which are relevant to the management and operation of their coop enterprises towards poverty alleviation in the countryside.

One of the major topics discussed was on the Filipino Values affecting the relationships, particularly of rural families and coop members/officers. In a business context, cited examples of Filipino values among local entrepreneurs are the traditional relationships, which usually develop into regular customer-supplier relationships. Suki relationships build on loyalty (repeat transactions over time), which translates to favors like reduced prices, better quality, and even occasional credit privileges. Examples of these are common in the small neighborhood sari-sari stores (convenience stores). Suki relationships help build and create platforms for personal relationships that bloom into friendships between individuals. This is also clearly the norm among coop members patronizing the services of their cooperatives.  Of some interest are Filipino entrepreneurs who have turned their businesses into multi-billion enterprises, such as Henry Sy and Lucio Tan 

Generally, the distinct value system of Filipinos is ingrained mainly in the personal alliance systems such as those in kinship, obligation, friendship, beliefs in God and business relationships. Other dominant values among the members of the ARBOs are: pakikipagkapwa-tao, family oriented, flexibility and adaptability, faith and religiosity, resiliency, hard work and industry. Felipe Landa Jocano, a famous Filipino sociologist, said, “There are no negative Filipino values, only the wrong use of values”. Values change from one family to another depending on how strongly the family promotes them from one generation to another.

The participants were also oriented on the various innovative processes on grassroots implementation of the plans and programs of the government, including how to react and address graft and corruption. An orientation on Participatory Government was also conducted wherein Resource Speakers from the Kilusang Pagbabago and from the Office of Participatory Governance were invited to elaborate further about the government’s efforts on empowerment of the agricultural workers sector. The ARBO Summit also involved orientation on the new credit and microfinance facilities, in addition to workshops on entrepreneurship and team-building exercises that promote solidarity among the various ARBOs.  

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any. -Alice Walker

Farm Business School (FBS): Transforming farmers into entrepreneurs

SOLANA, CAGAYAN-Around twenty-six (26) farmers from the Cadaanan United Farmers Association (CUFA) in Solana, Cagayan province recently completed the training on the first batch of Farm Business School (FBS) conducted by the Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Office in Cagayan (DARPO-Cagayan). The FBS is a hands-on intensive training  originally formulated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations intended to extend entrepreneurial knowledge and skills to farmers who would be able to manage farm business operations on their own.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in a 2011 Report stated that farmers need to adopt their farm business to market changes and to improve their efficiency, profitability and increase their income in order to be competitive and be able to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

The FAO is an intergovernmental organization which has 194 member-nations, two associate members and one member organization, the European Union. Its employees come from various cultural backgrounds and are experts in the multiple fields of activity FAO engages in. FAO’s staff capacity allows it to support improved governance among others, generate, develop and adapt existing tools and guidelines and provide targeted governance support as a resource to country and regional level FAO offices. Headquartered in Rome, Italy, FAO is present in over 130 countries.

The FBS was developed to improve the farmer-producers' entrepreneurial and management skills. Participants work and learn as a group through hands-on activities, addressing issues pertaining to the supply chain market challenges. Experiments on crop production are also encountered to improve existing practices with the end of increasing the socio economic benefits through participation in agricultural and market activities.

The training includes activities that study the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis, pinpointing and introduction of fresh products with packaging, evaluating profit margins, and crafting a business plan. Farmer-participants interact with market and industry players (traders, investors, suppliers). After which they advance as fully capacitated agricultural entrepreneurs.

Traditionally, Filipino farmers are seen as mere producers of agri products and not as businessmen. As such, they usually do not earn much from selling their produce as they are unskilled in terms of business acumen.  Because of that, only the middlemen and the traders are at the receiving end of the profits out of the farmers’ toil. Worse, after paying his debts to usurers, he is left with nothing when the planting season begins and again, he is forced to borrow planting capital at usurious rates and so begins another never-ending cycle of oppressive indebtedness.

The FBS enhances the capacity of farmers to take part and benefit from agricultural market connectivity and builds on the collective/group experiential learning of fellow farmers and shifting from originally production oriented to a business-oriented event. Additionally, there are also ongoing FBS sessions in Alcala, Cagayan for the same purpose being undertaken by DARPO-Cagayan. (Photos by: Elmer Custodio and Santi Mabborang)

Traditionally, Filipino farmers are seen as mere producers of agri products and not as businessmen. As such, they usually do not earn much from selling their produce as they are unskilled in terms of business acumen.  

The training includes activities that study the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis, pinpointing and introduction of fresh products with packaging, evaluating profit margins, and crafting a business plan. 

Participants work and learn as a group through hands-on activities, addressing issues pertaining to the supply chain market challenges. 

Experiments on crop production are also encountered to improve existing practices with the end of increasing the socio economic benefits through participation in agricultural and market activities. 

The FBS enhances the capacity of farmers to take part and benefit from agricultural market connectivity and builds on the collective/group experiential learning of fellow farmers and shifting from originally production oriented to a business-oriented events. 

What do the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) do?

A one-minute video which explains how and why the International Monetary Fund (aka IMF) and the World Bank were formed, what they're supposed to do and how people currently perceive them.

What Is The International Monetary Fund (IMF)?

What Does The World Bank Actually Do?

LINK: DAR-World Bank Inclusive Partnership for AgriculturalCompetitiveness (IPAC) project.

Calayan Island Airport to open 2019

The construction of a new airport is about to be completed in barangay Dadao, municipality of Calayan Island, in Cagayan province. The new airport has a 1,000m long runway and was started (bidding) in September 2015 with an estimated cost of Php9.4 million which is part the Php241 million Airport Development Project of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC, now DOTr).  The construction of the new airport includes the development of apron area and shoulder grade correction. An airport apron is the parking area for aircraft, also for unloading, loading and refueling. It is likewise the space where passengers board the aircraft.

The municipality of Calayan Island is located in the north of Luzon Island in the Philippines and is composed of four islands of the Babuyan Islands namely: Calayan, Camiguin, Dalupiri and Babuyan Island.  Calayan Island being the biggest of the Babuyan Islands (Fuga Island, the 5^th Island in the Channel is part of the municipality of Aparri).

Calayan Island was established as a mission headquarters by the Spaniards in 1722. It was then part of Batanes group of Islands and was brought under the administration of Cagayan province in 1896. Calayan is politically subdivided into 12 barangays: Babuyan Claro, Balatubat, Cabudadan, Centro II, Dadao (site of the new airport), Dalupiri, Dibay, Dilam, Magsidel, Minabel, Naguilian and Poblacion/Centro I.

Calayan Island is presently accessible only by small outrigger boats called “Lampitaw” from Aparri, Claveria or San Vicente Port in Santa Ana and takes seven hours to reach Calayan if the sea is calm. The best time to travel to and from the Island is during the summer months April and May where tourism activities are most active.

Earlier, the Bagabag Airport in Nueva Vizcaya was recently opened for commercial flights The Calayan Airport in barangay Dadao would be the second airport to open in Cagayan Valley for the year 2017 under the “Build, Build, Build” program of the Duterte Administration. The P241.23 million project funded by the DOTr will eventually provide an alternative mode of transportation and increase tourist arrivals resulting to increased economic and tourism activities.

Northsky Air, operator of a fleet of six-seater airtaxi aircraft based in Tuguegarao has already signified its intention to include Calayan Island as one of their flight destinations after the opening the new airport. It is now working out the required permits in time for the start of regular operations of the airport.

LATEST NEWS: Calayan Island airport opens

                          Calayan Island, known for pristine white beaches, opens airport