Megawide-GMR tandem eager to start Clark Airport project

MANILA, Philippines — The consortium of Megawide Construction Corp. and GMR Infrastructure Ltd. of India said construction for the new terminal building of Clark International Airport would be in full swing by January, following the groundbreaking held yesterday.

“The aim is to have construction in full swing by January 2018,” Megawide-GMR said in a statement yesterday.

The completion of the new passenger terminal building, meanwhile, is expected within 28 months or by 2020.

The consortium bagged the construction contract for the Clark International Airport’s new terminal building. 

The  proposed 101,977-square meter terminal area will allow Clark Airport to accommodate more passengers. 

In particular, it will increase Clark Airport’s current capacity of four million passengers per annum (mppa) to 12 mppa by 2020.

“We will work closely with Clark International Airport Corp., the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the local government units, and other concerned agencies in the coming weeks to ensure the design meets world-class standards, and most importantly, that it stands as a true reflection of the local culture and scenery. As a matter of fact, the design will be a collaboration, wherein the main concept will come from Filipino architects and designers, working in tandem with international airport designers,” the consortium said. 

It said the project is not only expected to provide benefits to Clark, but also Metro Manila as it helps decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. 

The expansion of the Clark International Airport is the first hybrid project under the current administration’s Build Build Build program.

Using the hybrid model means the government would use its funds to build the project, while the operations and maintenance would be bid out to the private sector. 

Earlier, Joshua Bingcang, chair of the special bids and awards committee and senior vice president for business development and operations at the BCDA said the government is finalizing the terms for the operations and maintenance of the Clark Airport. 

Aside from the Clark International Airport terminal building, the Megawide-GMR consortium is responsible for the expansion, as well as operations and maintenance of the country’s second busiest gateway, the Mactan Cebu International Airport.