Concepcion, PH 🇵🇭 Closed Airport
PH-0106
-
155 ft
PH-TAR
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 15.384705° N, 120.62434° E
Continent: AS
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: Santa Rosa Concepcion VOA Voice of America RPSO
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The exact official closure date is not documented, as is common for small, private airfields. However, the airstrip is believed to have fallen into disuse and became inactive sometime in the early 1990s. The catastrophic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, which blanketed the region in heavy volcanic ash, is widely considered the event that rendered the airstrip unusable and led to its abandonment. The land remained dormant until its redevelopment began around 2021.
The closure was due to a combination of factors:
1. **Natural Disaster:** The primary cause was the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption. The immense volume of volcanic ashfall would have made the runway unsafe and inoperable, and the subsequent economic disruption in the region made its restoration a low priority.
2. **Economic Obsolescence:** As a private airfield primarily serving agricultural needs, its importance likely waned with the evolution of farming practices and improved ground transportation in the region.
3. **Land Redevelopment:** The definitive reason for its permanent closure was the repurposing of the land for a more economically viable project. The site was selected for the development of a large-scale solar power plant.
The site of the former Santa Rosa Airstrip has been completely redeveloped and is no longer recognizable as an airfield. It is now the location of the **Raslag-4 Solar Power Plant**, a 35.1-megawatt solar farm developed by the Raslag Corporation. Construction began circa 2021, and the plant is now fully operational, supplying renewable energy to the Luzon grid. The original runway, taxiways, and any associated structures have been entirely removed to accommodate the thousands of solar panels that now occupy the land.
Santa Rosa Airstrip was a privately owned airfield typical of those found in Central Luzon during the mid-to-late 20th century. Its primary role was to support the vast agricultural operations of the surrounding haciendas, most notably the nearby Hacienda Luisita. Operations were focused on general aviation and included:
- **Agricultural Aviation:** Used by crop duster aircraft for the aerial spraying of pesticides and fertilizers on the vast sugarcane fields.
- **Private Transport:** Served as a landing strip for light, private aircraft used by the landowners and their associates for quick travel to and from Manila and other locations.
It was an integral piece of infrastructure for the region's powerful sugar industry before its decline.
There are **zero** prospects for the reopening of the Santa Rosa Airstrip. The land has been permanently and completely converted for industrial energy production. The presence of the large-scale, operational Raslag-4 Solar Power Plant makes any future use for aviation purposes impossible.