Del Mar: New MCIA terminal best in Asia

CEBU, Philippines — As he expressed excitement over the anticipated opening of the new Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) Terminal 2 he hailed as one of the best in Asia, Cebu City North District Rep. Raul del Mar hopes the domestic terminal will also be improved.

“It will be a delight to our domestic travelers to be able to also experience the same standards as those of Terminal 2. Cebuanos and all Filipinos will undoubtedly be filled with pride for this is an outstanding accomplishment,” Del Mar said.

The new Terminal 2 will be inaugurated on June 7 but full operation will start on June 22.

Del Mar and his daughter, former North District Rep. Rachel del Mar, joined Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) General Manager Steve Dicdican and GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) Chief Executive Advisor Andrew Harrison in inspecting the new terminal.

Del Mar described Terminal 2 as “very functional and classy and easily comparable to the best terminals in Asia.”

“I might even add – around the world. It will give Cebu’s visitors a good and lasting impression not just of the entire Province of Cebu but of the entire Philippines!” he said.

On a post on social media, Rachel shared her father’s excitement:

“I have never been excited for an airport! The wide open spaces and the very modern arrival area will be a welcome change. The restrooms alone speak volume of any place. As for the passengers leaving, it will be convenient that you won’t need to carry your suitcase into the X-ray machines. You go to the check in counter (which is 60 meters apart from the next one) then the bags go thru the x-ray.”

It was on April 23, 2014 when the Department of Transportation and Communications awarded the operations and maintenance of MCIA to a consortium of the Philippine Megawide Construction Corporation and Bangalore-based GMR Infrastructure.

The consortium won with a bid of P17.5 billion. MCIAA handed over the operations and maintenance of the airport to the private consortium on November 1, 2014.

In the first half of 2016, MCIA and GMCAC started the rehabilitation, renovation and expansion of Terminal 1. This would be the first phase of the project. The new terminal building was designed by Integrated Design Associates Ltd. (IDA).

Terminal 2 is planned to span approximately 45,000 square meters, which is expandable in its second phase.

On May 22, 2017, MCIAA passed a resolution approving the proposal to start the construction of a second runway, which Del Mar proposed.

Del Mar proposed that the construction be funded using P4.9 billion sourced from the P14.4 billion premium given by the GMCAC when it won the bid to develop and manage the MCIA terminal.

Once completed, the second runway will be adjacent to the existing first runway and will enable simultaneous runway operations. — JMO (FREEMAN)