Height restrictions near airport resolved: P4-billion Clark investments get go-signal

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga , Philippines  – Investments worth some P4 billion, which have been frozen pending a study on height restrictions for structures near the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here, have finally been given the go-signal.

Clark Development Corp. (CDC) president Benigno Ricafort said the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has approved the applications of Clark investors to construct or expand 32 buildings after completion of the study on height restrictions.

The CAAP, formerly the Air Transportation Office, is the government agency mandated to keep aviation complexes safe from structural obstructions.

Ricafort said the applications that were initially held in abeyance involved tourism to information technology-related industries.

Four of the building applications were filed by JB Cresta, six by CPR Palm Resort, four by Berthaphil Inc., two by Sutherland Global Services, and one each by CyberCity Teleservices, J&K Global Properties, CAASCI, Oxford Hotel, CEDC, and BBAC.

Ricafort said the issue on height clearance permits at the freeport had been pending since 2007, until a team of experts from the International Civil Aviation Organization conducted an aerodrome survey of the Clark airport last March to resolve the issue.

“The aerodrome survey covered the identification of maximum penetrations beyond the mathematical limits for height clearances considering the second runway and the proposed third runway,” he said.

Ricafort said the CDC and CAAP signed a CDC board-approved memorandum of agreement “which specifies that CAAP will draft an operational guideline to ensure an acceptable procedure and timeframe for future applications, and for the conduct of the Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) so that indicative height limitation values can be determined for every area in Clark.”

“Resolution of the height restriction issue is important to ensure the continued economic development in Clark,” he added.

Following its creation by virtue of Republic Act 9447, the CAAP included a height clearance permit as part of mandatory requirements prior to erecting any structure or building in the vicinity of airports.