Clark airport threatens to eclipse aging NAIA

CLARK FIELD — In about eight years, if plans do not miscarry, the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in this former US air base would be taking significant load off the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport some 80 kilometers away.

Stunted by lack of space and funds and other constraints, NAIA has long exceeded its rated capacity of 36 landings and takeoffs an hour. Concerns over safety and efficiency are already being aired by a number of stakeholders.

Like in an aged restaurant, even if the operator keeps adding tables, he cannot coax bigger business from the same kitchen, the old menu, the same limited parking slots and the bad habits of the service personnel.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency has pointed to Clark as the preferred and most viable alternative airport among 12 sites it has studied, according to chairman Felicito “Tong” Payumo of the Bases Conversion Development Authority.

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NEW GATEWAY: Together with President/CEO Victor Jose “Chichos” Luciano of the Clark International Airport Corp., Payumo briefed officers of the Capampangan in Media Inc. last Friday on the BCDA and the CIAC plans for the premier international airport in the making.

Luciano said CIAC is planning to build a Budget Terminal via the Public-Private Partnership mode at an estimated cost of P8 billion. In the long term, a more ambitious new Gateway is also being planned.

Payumo said the budget terminal will get priority attention, adding that Clark will probably exceed 850,000 passengers this year. It is blessed with two 3.2-kilometer airstrips that can take the biggest jets in existence.

The budget terminal catering to budget airlines — like Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines that launched its inaugural flight about two weeks ago — will have a capacity of 8-10 million passengers.

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MISSING LINK: A vital, and still missing, link in the ambitious plan is the efficient movement of passengers and cargo between Metro Manila and Clark.

There is the NorthRail project of the previous administration, but it got derailed by alleged mismanagement and corruption. It has all but died after frittering its almost $500 million budget (borrowed from China) with not much to show for it.

The project, running along the same northbound tracks of the defunct Philippine National Railways, is reportedly on the agenda of President Noynoy Aquino in his coming state visit to Beijing. The project needs $2 billion more to complete.

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SCTEX CONTRACT: Payumo recalled the signing last July of the BCDA-MNTC (Manila North Tollways Corp.) contract which was the basis for the MNTC taking over control and management of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx).

The BCDA chairman said that was an example of how public-private partnership can relieve pressure on government and optimize benefits from major projects.

He said: “One word that has been used often in communications technology is ‘convergence.’ Indeed it was convergence but of a different kind — a convergence of interests — that made possible the signing of the SCTEx Agreement.

“BCDA’s interest was to find a partner who can give our motoring public efficient service and high-quality upkeep of the expressway, while taking on the burden of servicing the debt of P34 billion used in constructing the 94-kilometer Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

“MNTC’s interest, on the other hand, was to operate an expressway built at the same, if not better, quality than the North Luzon Expressway that they now operate, thereby providing the public an integrated, seamless operation.”

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BOT LAW: A principal sponsor of the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law that the Aquino administration now uses to carry out PPP projects, Payumo said:

“Finally, we have one PPP project that conforms to the spirit of the BOT Law. The government did not give any direct guarantee on loans that may be contracted by MNTC, nor did it guarantee against any commercial or market risks.

“If the projected traffic volume is not realized, MNTC alone bears all the consequences. But I am sure that MNTC, given their experience in expressway operations, have high confidence in their traffic volume projections.

“In many so-called BOT (now called PPP) projects, government has ended up paying the private sector partner, because it has either guaranteed to take up all of the production or even the capacity of a plant, or gave a guaranteed minimum return on the investment.”

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VALTE REACTS: From deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, meanwhile, came an e-mail referring to my Postscript last Sunday on her reported remarks about the proposed P600-million intelligence fund of the Office of the President.

Postscript said: “Much of the capital outlay, she said, will be spent on social services. It looked odd that Valte was saying that intelligence funds will be diverted to social services, which are already covered by another hefty allocation in the budget.”

She clarified: “When I was asked last Aug. 26, about Rep. Palatino’s suggestion to use the increase in intelligence funds for health and education instead, I replied that social services already had the biggest allocation in the proposed budget for 2012. (‘Kung titingnan natin yung si-nubmit ng Palasyo, ng Executive nung budget natin, yung 2012 NEP natin, pinakamalaki na doon ang allotment for social services.’)”

She added: “I did not in any way refer to the proposed allocation for intelligence funds to be ‘diverted for social services.’ Clearly, when I mentioned the words ‘budget’ and ‘2012 NEP’ (National Expenditure Program) I was referring to the budget of the entire Executive Branch and not the proposed allocation for intelligence funds alone.”

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FOLLOWUP: Access past POSTSCRIPTs at www.manilamail.com. Follow this columnist at Twitter.com/FDPascual. E-mail feedback to fdp333@ yahoo.com