Clark International Airport’s new passenger terminal building, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, is ready to start operations soon, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
President Duterte led last July 17 the inspection of the newly completed 110,000-square-meter new passenger terminal. The inspection included testing of check-in kiosks, bag drops and other contactless features of the new terminal building.
Arthur Tugade, DOTr secretary, said the airport which is equipped with contactless technology is ready to be used, but he has yet to announce the schedule of its inauguration as the facility awaits the green light to operate from the aviation regulators.
Once operational, Tugade said the new terminal building will not only provide a modern air travel experience, but will also help the economy recover from the pandemic and equip Northern and Central Luzon with transportation infrastructure for the future.
“Clark International Airport will cement its position as the next premier gateway of Asia.
This will prove that the Duterte Administration’s Build, Build, Build is not just a dream… it is real, it is true, and it is here,” Tugade said.
The DOTr earlier said the airport is targeted to start domestic operation this July and full operation by September this year.
Vince Dizon, Bases Conversion and Development Authority president and chief executive officer, said the modernization and expansion of Clark airport is needed more than ever as it will help the Philippines “bounce back better,” not just by the jobs it creates, but also through the supply chain it supports and the trade it facilitates.
Clark International Airport is expected to create 150,000 new jobs, equating to 0.4 percent of the total employed population in the Philippines.
Through production links, supporting industries such as tourism, food and beverage, services, infrastructure, agriculture and manufacturing are expected to benefit from the modernized and expanded Clark airport.
Bi Yong Chungunco, chief executive of LIPAD, the operator and manager of Clark International Airport, said the new terminal building is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and vital contactless solutions for smooth and safe operations.
The new terminal building, which caters to domestic and international passengers, is located 1.5 kilometers from the existing Clark passenger terminal. It has a design capacity of 8 million passengers per year.
Chungunco said LIPAD takes all necessary steps to ensure that passengers, both inbound and outbound, go through strict safety measures.
“LIPAD remains flexible and adaptable to the needs of travel and assures the public that Clark International Airport is steadfast in prioritizing public health and is well-equipped for it,” she said.
The Clark International Airport new passenger terminal is the first hybrid public-private partnership (PPP) project completed under the Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte administration.
Construction of the structure was handled by a consortium of Megawide Construction Corp. and GMR Infrastructure Ltd., while the fit out, operations and maintenance were later auctioned off and awarded to LIPAD.
A total of 212 airport projects, 446 seaport projects, 10,376 flood mitigation structures, 26,494 km. of road and 5,555 bridges have been completed under the Build, Build, Build program, DOTr said.
