DOTr to decide on Sangley fate

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) intends to resolve the operational issue of the Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA) project that remains nebulous up to this day as the consortium that offered the unsolicited bid to transform the former US military base into an international airport, has not yet submitted a detailed engineering plan for the P215.69-billion project.

According to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, “we need to resolve if we will allow Sangley to operate independently of Manila” in view of its proximity to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) that will be operated by the SMC-SAP and Co. Consortium led by Ramon S. Ang, who is likewise building the Bulacan International Airport.

By driving distance, the Sangley airport is around 27 kilometers from NAIA, but the planned airport project of SPIA involves the ambitious construction of a new runway that in past studies of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had been viewed as a viable third runway for NAIA, but would involve the additional construction of a connecting bridgeway that was, however, deemed not cost-effective.

JICA eventually did not recommend the use and construction of an additional runway for the Sangley airport as an-extension for the then Manila International Airport as there were also some other concerns with regard to flight operations of the two facilities.

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations set the minimum distance requirement for airports to not be closer than 25 kilometers to each other.

The Bulacan International Airport project, according to the DOTr is almost 30 kilometers away while the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA), now known as the Clark International Airport in Pampanga is a very comfortable 100 kilometers away and services the North Luzon corridor.

In fact, the DOTr is actively encouraging more use of the Clark International Airport facility by other carriers.

Lack of connectivity

I have personally used the DMIA and it is indeed a good alternate international airport that is unfortunately not being adequately used, primarily because of the current long drive from Clark, Pampanga to Manila.

While my flight from Dubai arrived on time and immigration and customs clearance were all a breeze, it was the almost three-hour drive back to Manila at the peak of evening rush hour that negated the future use of the Clark airport for me unless there is a faster mode of connectivity to Mega Manila.

The travel time plus traffic is just too tiring and an additional cost and hassle.

A planned railway system however, would ensure the viability of the Clark airport in the future.

The DOTr acknowledges the need for additional airports to meet the increasing ridership of NAIA whose projected capacity limit is at 62 million passengers even as the takeover by the SMC-led Consortium is expected to improve the efficiency of the current international and domestic airport facility.

The SPIA project is a joint venture development agreement between the provincial government of Cavite and the SPIA Development Consortium that is composed of the Yuchengco Group’s House of Investments Inc. and the Cavitex Holdings Inc. whose equity members include the Lucio Tan-led Macro-Asia Corp., the Korean Samsung C&T Corp., Munich International Airport GmbH and Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd.

The Hong Kong firm is the nominated contractor to assist in aviation-related support as well as engineering, procurement and construction. It will also provide expertise on airport management and operations, as well as airline marketing. Likewise, it will also provide master planning, design and engineering.

The JVDA among the proponents was signed more than a year ago on Feb. 6, 2023, but more than one year since, the DOTr has not received a detailed engineering design and possible revised cost estimates for the project that would involve extensive land reclamation and would require years for the runway to settle as the load bearing factor is crucial to safe airport operations.

There has likewise been no news on the funding for the SPIA project.

There are already several ongoing land reclamation projects in the Manila Bay area which would likely affect the SPIA project if there is no proper coordination with relevant government entities. Also add to that is the sand shortage already plaguing some of the reclamation projects.

Secretary Bautista admitted that with the NAIA and Clark airports and the Bulacan International Airport under construction, “we have no urgent need to have a third or fourth airport.”

The NAIA currently serves up to 50 million passengers a day and the projected capacity limit is projected at 62 million passengers with the planned rehabilitation of the airport terminals and facilities by the SMC-SAP and Co. Consortium that is scheduled to take over the Manila airport in about two months time.

RSA has also promised to have at least two operational runways for the Bulacan airport before the term of President Marcos ends in 2028.