DOT mulls proposal for 2-airport system

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Tourism (DOT) is studying the feasibility of a proposal to develop a twin airport system for Clark and NAIA.

DOT regional director Ronaldo Tiotuico said Pampanga Rep. Oscar Rodriguez sounded off the province’s strong pursuit for a major campaign to move for the development of the two airports.

According to the DOT official, the 23 million population in Northern Luzon could be a major consideration in developing an international airport in Clark.

He said the proposed development of NAIA and a new airport in Sangley Point in Cavite would not hinder the lawmaker’s appeal for the National Government to support Clark as a key international passenger gateway.

“We have a potentially large market to sustain operation of an international gateway,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez also suggested “gate-crashing” into the meetings of the three other regional development councils in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Cordillera regions – all in northern Philippines – to lobby support for the proposal.

“In fact, we shall call for the inclusion of this campaign in the speech of the President in his SONA in July, precisely to declare Clark as the international gateway,” he said.

Fellow Pampanga Rep. Yeng Guiao, on the other hand, supported the position of Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and CEO Victor Jose Luciano that Clark has always been “constant” in its position that it should become a major gateway.

“All these moves are quite timely as we are now seeing the mounting of major flights of Emirates and Qatar in October this year which will make a difference in foreign and domestic travel and tourism,” he noted.

Guiao also emphasized the need to pass a law declaring Clark Development Corp. (CDC) and CIAC as one singe authority, rather than as separate corporations, to enable the administrators to pursue their plans and programs on a sustainable future.

Guiao cited Freeport Area in Bataan (FAB), Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (APECO) and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in Olongapo City as benchmarks for this proposal.