MAKATI CITY—Business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan reaffirmed his commitment to fully develop the Clark International Airport (CRK) in Pampanga, saying it’s a “better option” compared to planned airports in Cavite and Bulacan.
Pangilinan, in an interview with Pampanga-based journalists shortly after the PLDT-Smart stockholders’ meeting here on June 14, said, “We must retain the Naia [Ninoy Aquino International Airport], but go for it [CRK].”
He was referring to the Naia in Pasay City being plagued by flight delays and passenger congestion.
Pangilinan said he had tried to develop five regional airports, including the CRK, which sits on a 2,000-hectare land, but failed during the rule of outgoing President Aquino.
“It’s up to the incoming President [Rodrigo R. Duterte] what they want to do with Clark. We will support if they want,” Pangilinan said.
He said Duterte and his people should make a study on the viability of the other airports in the country, including the one pushed by outgoing Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya in Sangley Point in Cavite. Earlier, Ramon S. Ang of the San Miguel Corp. also proposed the construction of the airport in Bulacan.
“We have lots of reclaiming of lands to do at Sangley,” he said.
Pangilinan said the study should be immediately made to complement the flights at the Naia.
The chairman of the PLDT and Smart said a railway train should be constructed to connect Clark to Makati City and the Naia.
“The airlines and their passengers just want to be brought via train to Metro Manila after landing at Clark,” he said. “It’s doesn’t have to be a fast train, because Manila is not too far from Pampanga.”
Last month the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) noted an 8-percent increase in the volume of passengers at the CRK in the first four months of 2016.
CIAC President and CEO Emigdio P. Tanjuatco III cited figures indicating that a total of 316,656 passengers used Clark from January to April this year, compared to 292,659 passengers over the same period last year.
1 comment
Yes. Clark already has the infrastructure in place and a train system should cost less .in the meantime a transport hub can be expanded at . Trinoma while waiting for the train.so basically.buy a few buses and a solution is available to decongest NAIA not ten years frrom now but next month.