ðɪ ˈɛɹpoːɹt wʌz bˈɪlt baɪ ðə lˈoʊpɛz fˈæmɪli ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi sˈɪks tə sˈɜːv ðɪ aɪlˈɔɪloʊ nˈiːɡɹoʊz ˈɛɹ ɛkspɹˈɛs kˈʌmpəniz flˈaɪts tʊ ænd fɹʌm bˈeɪkəlˌɑːd, aɪlˈɔɪloʊ ænd mɐnˈɪlə.
The airport was built by the Lopez family in 1936 to serve the Iloilo–Negros Air Express Company's flights to and from Bacolod, Iloilo and Manila.