GMA to open upgraded Clark airport terminal

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga  , Philippines – President Arroyo gets to finally inaugurate tomorrow the delayed P308.8 million Phase 1 expansion of the passenger terminal at the airport named after her late father, ex-President Diosdado Macapagal, five days before she steps down from her nine-year presidency.

Clark International Airport Corp. executive vice president Alexander Cauguiran said Phase 1 of the terminal expansion project at the Diosdado Macacapagal International Airport (DMIA) here will increase the airport’s capacity to accommodate 500,000 more passengers annually, on top of two million it presently processes every year.

Phase 1 of the terminal upgrading project was supposed to have been completed on March 31 by its contractor A.G. Araja Construction and Development Corp., but problems with sub-contractors reportedly delayed the project.

Phase 1 is composed of building a two-story terminal facility with two passenger boarding bridges equipped with flight information monitor, closedcircuit public television, public address system, X-ray machines, elevators and escalators.

Cauguiran said this phase will allow large aircraft to load and unload passengers through tubes at door level. This enhances comfort and convenience since passengers will no longer use stairs in alighting or boarding aircraft.

In 2008, the DMIA terminal, which was constructed by the Americans during their occupation of this former US Air Force Base, was already expanded to increase its capacity to accommodate passengers from 500,000 to two million yearly. The expansion also paved the way for additional immigration counters, airline offices, concessionaires’ area, and five airline ticketing offices and baggage conveyors among others facilities. 

Phase II, which CIAC officials hope to be implemented also this year, would call for the expansion of the pre-departure and arrival areas and the construction of a domestic flight terminal, airline offices, check-in counters, and passenger baggage conveyor belt. An outlay of P200 million is required for this phase.

DMIA is host to foreign and local carriers such as Tiger Airways of Singapore, Air Asia of Malaysia, Asia­na Airlines whose flights to Incheon in South Korea has connecting flights to the US, China and Japan, Cebu Pacific Air, and South East Asian Airlines (Seair).

The Spirit of Manila Airline and Jin Air, a sub­sidiary of Korean Air with chartered flights to Incheon in South Korea are also based here.