The Philippines, with its high global connectivity index ranking and its major airport handling 45 million passengers in 2023, possesses substantial capability to ensure that its air transport ecosystem better facilitates travel and trade. Yet aerodrome governance in the country suffers from inertia and continues to be plagued by reactive decision-making and conventional operating strategies. This chapter proposes the enhanced integration of standards and recommended practices (SARPs) of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and other international aviation organisations to address institutional rigidities and regulatory inflexibility which hinder airport development in the country. Compliance with SARPs is effectively mandatory and crucial for both domestic and international air travel safety. Their inadequate implementation not only puts passengers at risk but also constrains the transport ecosystem’s ability to catalyze regional economic activity. By rigorously internalizing and enforcing international standards in funding and procurement of airport projects, the Philippines may finally be able to unlock its long-delayed aviation potential and foster balanced regional economic development within the country.