The new terminal of the Clark International Airport is the fastest infrastructure project to be implemented by the national government, setting the template for all other projects under the Build Build Build program, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said during a site inspection Wednesday.
The new terminal, the first hybrid PPP project implemented under the Duterte administration, is already 53-percent complete. The new terminal will be operational by mid-2020. By then, passenger capacity will be tripled, adding another eight million to the current capacity of 4.2 million.
“We are looking forward to this project’s completion ahead of schedule.” Sec. Dominguez said.
“The expansion of the Airport has been on the government’s drawing board for 20 years. Under the Duterte administration, the means and methods were found to finally make things happen,” he added.
Secretary Dominguez cited the need to reap the benefits of Build Build Build program “at the soonest possible time.” “We should keep in mind that it should be PPPP. Public Private Partnership for the People.”
Full airport development which spans four phases will generate over 80 million passengers annually, making Clark International Airport at par with the biggest airports not only in the region but in the world.
The development of the airport is guided by the master plan and feasibility study of Aeroport de Paris Ingenierie (ADPI) completed in 2013 and pursued through a grant by the French government.
Citing the plan by ADPI, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade announced that now is the time to “retract and retrace the plans” for a second runway.
“We would like to announce that government will begin planning and will construct the second runway in accordance with the ADPI plan. We are eyeing completion of this runway before the end of the term of the President,” he assures.
Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President Jaime Alberto Melo, for his part, cites the impact of building another runway. “The second runway doubles the capacity of the airport. It can cater to three more terminals such as this (referring to the new passenger terminal).”
“The growth of the Clark International Airport in the last two and a half years has been way above projection,” CIAC President Melo emphasized.
Engr. Joshua Bingcang, BCDA senior vice president for business development and operations, noted that the number of domestic passengers has increased dramatically by 4,812% from only 51,625 passengers in 2016 to a projected 2.5 million by yearend. On the other hand, international passengers is expected to reach over 1.5 million by 2019 representing a 72% increase from 899,000 passengers in 2016.
Domestic flights have increased exponentially by 8,866% from only six flights in 2016 to 538 in 2019. The number of international flights is expected to double by 2019 from 120 in 2016.
Upon full development, the Clark International Airport will be the nation’s next premier gateway helping to clear the congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
“This facility will anchor the rapid development of the other districts of Clark. It is not only a model for rapid implementation of projects but also a model for effective governance in the modern age.” Secretary Dominguez concludes.
Also present during the inspection of the Clark International Airport expansion project were Senators JV Ejercito and Joel Villanueva, Bases Conversion and Development Authority President and CEO Vivencio Dizon, Megawide GMR Chairman Edgar Saavedra, Megawide GMR Director Manuel Louise Ferrer, Filinvest Development Corp President and CEO Lourdes Josephine Gotianun-Yap, and Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD) President Bi Yong Chungunco.