Medellin Airstrip

The closure was due to a combination of economic factors and land redevelopment. The airstrip primarily served the local sugar industry, and its importance waned with the industry's decline. After being heavily damaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013, the local government prioritized redeveloping the valuable land for community and recreational use rather than restoring a little-used aviation facility. The proximity of the much larger Mactan-Cebu International Airport and the upgraded Bantayan Island Airport also made it redundant.

The site is no longer an airport and has been permanently repurposed. A significant portion of the former runway, particularly the southern half, has been converted into the Medellin Sports Complex, which includes a large grandstand, a running track, and a sports oval. The remaining paved section of the runway is now used as a public road, a recreational park, a site for driving lessons, and a venue for local events such as drag races and festivals.

Medellin Airstrip was a private general aviation field, often referred to as a 'sugar strip.' Its primary function was to support the once-thriving sugar industry in northern Cebu, used for crop dusting, transporting company personnel, and servicing the local sugar centrals. It also handled small private charter flights and was used for flight training. The airstrip played a crucial, albeit brief, role in its final days by serving as a vital staging ground for domestic and international military and humanitarian relief operations immediately following the devastation of Super Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013. C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Philippine Air Force and the US Military landed there to deliver aid to the hard-hit region.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Medellin Airstrip. The construction of the permanent and substantial Medellin Sports Complex directly on the former runway makes its restoration for aviation purposes infeasible. The local government's investment in the sports complex signals a definitive change in land use. Any future aviation development for the region is focused on the nearby Bantayan Island Airport (RPVF).