Cebu positions as aviation hub with new scholarship program

Cebu Provincial Governor Pamela Baricuatro is preparing to launch a scholarship program in partnership with aviation academies across the province, as rising demand for aviation professionals worldwide intensifies pressure on training pipelines.

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Speaking at the Cebu Aviation Summit 2025, hosted by Airworks Aviation Academy and led its president Vincent Charles T. Ong, Baricuatro said the initiative will target students pursuing careers in aircraft maintenance, engineering, ground operations, and related fields.

Drawing on her own career as a former Cathay Pacific flight attendant, the governor stressed that aviation should be seen “not just as an industry, but a lifeline—a source of livelihood, a driver of our economy, and a path for our youth to rise.”

According to Boeing’s 2025 Pilot and Technician Outlook, commercial aviation will require nearly 2.4 million new personnel by 2044, including 660,000 pilots, 710,000 maintenance technicians, and 1 million cabin crew.