Gov't should develop both Ninoy Aquino, Clark airports

MANILA, Philippines - The government must simultaneously develop both the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark Airport, a lawmaker said Monday.

Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo (2nd district, Valenzuela City) said the development of the two airports should be pursued until such time that a fast rail shuttle is operational to carry passengers from Clark to Metro Manila. Gunigundo is the vice chairman of the House Committee on Transportation.

He added that without a fast rail transport system that would ferry passengers from Clark to Metro Manila in just 20 to 30 minutes, the government cannot close down NAIA in favor of CIA.

Gunigundo made this statement as President Aquino is set to decide soon whether to maintain and develop both the NAIA and CIA as major airports or replace NAIA with CIA.

“We need to develop both airports until such time that a Clark fast rail shuttle is operational,” Gunigundo said.

Earlier, Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said different plans for CIA and NAIA would be discussed in the Cabinet economic cluster and ultimately with the president for approval within the month.

Abaya said the choice would be between maintaining two major airports, which are, CIA and NAIA that will support each other, or giving up NAIA in favor of CIA. He said the government could also opt to create a new airport inside Metro Manila or in a nearby province that will replace the NAIA complex in Pasay City.

Clark International Airport occupies 2,400 hectares of land, more than three times bigger than the 700 hectares occupied by the already congested NAIA complex. According to Clark International Airport Corp. adviser Capt. Benjamin Solis, the NAIA is already 40 percent over the capacity of its terminals and runway, hence the need to fast track the development of CIA.

Meanwhile, former Clark Investors and Locators Association (CILA) president Jeff Pradhan said locators inside the Clark Freeport and special economic zone are calling on the government to decide with finality whether the CIA would serve as an alternate gateway into the country.