Sangley, Laguna Lake top choices for new airport site

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has dropped central Manila Bay as one of the possible locations for the new Manila international airport, and is now considering Sangley Point in Cavite and Laguna Lake, based on the recommendation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the DOTC recently met with JICA which is conducting a pre-feasibility study for the new Manila international airport.

Based on information from JICA, he said the central Manila Bay is no longer among the options being considered as a possible location for the new Manila international airport.

“The removal of the central Manila Bay option was due to the objections of the PPA (Philippine Ports Authority), as it serves as the anchorage area and the flow of shipping will be affected,” he said.

The two options being considered now are Sangley Point in Cavite and Laguna Lake.

JICA earlier identified five possible locations for the new international airport for Manila, but later on trimmed the list to central Manila Bay and Sangley Point.

Abaya said the DOTC is waiting for JICA to submit its final report on the pre-feasibility study so a notice to proceed on the full feasibility study could be issued.

“We’ll wait for their final report, then we’ll give the letter,” he said.

He said the first phase of the full feasibility study would determine whether the new airport should be in Sangley Point or in Laguna Lake.

The second phase, meanwhile, would go into more detail on the recommended location.

The full feasibility study would also cover the cost of constructing the new airport.

Abaya said earlier an international airport in Sangley Point was estimated by JICA to cost around $10 billion.

The government is looking into the development of a new international airport in Manila to address the growing number of passengers served by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

A JICA study released earlier showed the number of passengers in the Greater Capital Region would reach more than 100 million by 2040 from 31.88 million in 2012.