Cabanatuan Airstrip (Camp Tinio)

Military Conversion and Redevelopment. The primary reason for the closure was the expansion and consolidation of military facilities within Camp Tinio, which was officially renamed Fort Magsaysay. The land occupied by the airstrip was repurposed for the construction of barracks, training grounds, and other infrastructure for the Philippine Army, particularly for its elite Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and Light Reaction Regiment, which are headquartered there. The airstrip's existence within an increasingly high-security and specialized military training reservation became logistically impractical and a security concern.

The site of the former airstrip has been completely absorbed into the Fort Magsaysay military reservation. The runway and any associated structures have been demolished and built over. Current satellite imagery shows the area is now occupied by military buildings, barracks, roads, and open training fields. There are no physical remnants of the airstrip visible. The entire area is an active and restricted military zone, serving as the largest military camp in the Philippines and a primary training ground for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The Cabanatuan Airstrip was primarily a military and general aviation facility. Its history is tied to Camp Tinio, a major Philippine Army reservation. When active, it handled:

- **Military Operations:** It served as a logistical airstrip for the Philippine Army and Philippine Air Force, supporting personnel movement, light cargo transport, and liaison flights related to the operations at Camp Tinio.
- **General Aviation:** It was used by private aircraft owners, flying clubs, and for charter flights serving Cabanatuan City and the province of Nueva Ecija.
- **Agricultural Aviation:** Given that Nueva Ecija is the 'Rice Granary of the Philippines,' the airstrip was crucial for agricultural aviation services, such as crop dusting and aerial surveying.
- **Emergency and Medical Evacuation:** It functioned as a vital point for airlifting patients and for disaster response operations in the region.

The airstrip was never a major commercial airport with scheduled passenger services, which were historically handled by the separate, now also largely defunct, Cabanatuan Airport (IATA: CPF).

There are zero prospects for reopening the Cabanatuan Airstrip at its original location. The site is now integral to the infrastructure of Fort Magsaysay, one of the most critical military installations in the Philippines. Any discussion of a new airport for the area refers to building a completely new facility in a different location within Nueva Ecija to boost economic development and tourism. These proposals are separate from and have no connection to the former military airstrip at Camp Tinio.