Sangley Point eyed for domestic flights

MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte is studying the proposal of San Miguel Corp. (SMC) to build an airport at the former US air base in Sangley Point, Cavite to help ease air traffic congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City.

“I am looking at general aviation, to bring the private planes to Sangley, and to expand the services at the Clark Airport,” Duterte said.

During a meeting with The STAR editors and reporters in Malacañang on Wednesday, Duterte said he has tasked Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to look into the most viable projects to ease the problem not just of plane companies, but also the passengers affected by the land traffic congestion around the airport in Pasay City.

Ramon Ang of SMC had offered to build a new airport but the project failed to take off under the previous Aquino administration. 

Ang then said SMC would build a $10-billion airport with four runways on an 800-hectare property along the Manila-Cavite coastal road.

The property is owned by Cyber Bay Corp., which is controlled by Ang.

The airport will be double the 400 hectares occupied by NAIA, which has two runways.

In his previous Cabinet meeting, Duterte ordered his concerned officials to look for ways to decongest Manila’s main airport.

Duterte is eyeing the construction of an alternative gateway and the construction of a dedicated road from the capital to Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

“The best way for the meantime is to open a road network that will be geared towards Pampanga and Clark,” he said.

“I really don’t know if we could have money to build a new airport in Sangley, kung may ibang papasok na may pera e sige (if someone with money comes in, okay), for the meantime we have to remedy the overcrowded skies of NAIA,” he said.