The establishment of the new passenger terminal building of Clark International Airport in Pampanga lays the ground work for the country’s vision to make Clark airport as Asia’s next premier gateway, according to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Describing the terminal as a “building block in the country’s thrust to become a logistics center of Asia,” Marcos in his speech at the opening rites of the terminal, said the facility sends a strong signal to the world the Philippines is open for business and that it is a good place to invest.
“The simple message that underlay all that we did was that the Philippines is here, we are a good place to invest, we are probably the most vibrant economy in Southeast Asia, and we understand the requirements and the needs of our potential investors,” he said.
The new passenger terminal building is a joint project of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in an effort to decongest Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila.
The 110,000-square-meter, four-storey terminal building can accommodate around eight million passengers per year and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for a much safer and efficient travel.
It is also projected to create more jobs, promote vibrant tourism and advance socioeconomic activities in Central Luzon.
The President said the government has similar plans to improve the airports in Manila and other areas, such as those in Bulacan and Cavite.
He added not all flights should pass by Manila, noting many direct flights go to other parts of the country such as Bohol, Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro.
DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista, in his speech at the formal opening of Clark International Airport, said: “This (Clark) airport is critical in the rebound of the air travel and tourism industry. The lift in passenger capacity from 4.2 million to 8 million annually, to be made possible with the new terminal, opens a wave of opportunities to Central and Northern Luzon. Recovery of local businesses and tourism is expected to be facilitated by this expanded passenger capacity.”
“Clark Airport is a solid showcase of the partnering with the private sector or what we call PPP (public-private partnership) which I believe is key in accomplishing many of our projects. We want Clark airport to be more than just alternative to the highly congested NAIA,” he added.
Luzon International Premier Airport Development (LIPAD), operator of Clark International Airport, reported a 282 percent growth in passenger volume to 434,214 passengers from January to August of this year. Of these, 363,878 flew to overseas destinations while 70,336 traveled to domestic destinations.
These increases are also significant compared to figures posted in pre-pandemic times. All told, there was a total of 16 percent growth versus pre-pandemic figures, LIPAD said. The number of international passengers posted a 31 percent increase. – J. Montemayor and M. Iglesias.
