MCAC urges P’Noy to make DMIA RP’s premier airport

CLARK FREEPORT--The Metro Clark Advisory Council (MCAC) urged the Aquino government to pursue development of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) as the country’s premier airport.

In a resolution, the MCAC called for the development of the Clark airport following the spate of diversionary flights in the Clark airport which had been the refuge of incoming international and domestic flights this month.

MCAC co-chairman and Mabalacat Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales said the government should now look into the development of the Clark airport because “it had been proven several times that it can accommodate the entry of wide commercial aircraft plus the fact that it will bring in more development to the countryside.”

Morales said the country cannot do with only one airport and that it must have several airports just like those in neighboring Asean countries such as Hong Kong, which is a leader in the logistics and services industry.

Morales said the full operationalization of the Clark airport will bring-in limitless opportunities not only to Pampanga province but to the entire country particularly Central and Northern Luzon.

Earlier, the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and the Department of Tourism (DOT have both signified their support to the full development of DMIA.

Neighboring Asian countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong had built their new airports in vast tracts of reclaimed land. Both countries are now the leaders in airport and logistics services in Asia.

The Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC), the operating arm of DMIA, has already infused P338 million on the expansion of the existing DMIA Terminal 1 increasing passenger capacity to 2.7 million annually.

The new two-storey DMIA Terminal 1 will have two Aero Bridges, Flight Information Display, Close Circuit Television, Background Music, Public Address System, X-Ray Machines, Escalators and Elevators.

The expansion also paved the way for the installation of additional immigration counters, airlines offices, concessionaires’ area, and five airline ticketing offices, baggage conveyors and among others.

Businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan of Metro Pacific was reportedly in talks with Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corporation for the development of DMIA’s Terminal 2 and a high-speed railway that will connect the airport to Manila.

“It is a positive development,” said Morales noting that any development at the Clark airport will also redound to the overall progress of nearby Mabalacat town which plays host to the airport.

Morales said the presence of the Clark airport, the modern Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), and the eventual construction of the high-speed railway will speed up the development of the northern part of Mabalacat as “Makati of the North.”

DMIA plays host to foreign and local carriers such as Tiger Airways of Singapore that flies Clark-Singapore, Air Asia of Malaysia via Clark-Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu, Asiana Airlines via Clark-Incheon in South Korea with connecting flights to the US, China and Japan, Cebu Pacific Air via Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Macau while South East Asian Airlines (Seair) via Clark-Caticlan at the world famous Boracay Beach Island Resort.

Other carriers include Spirit of Manila Airlines via Clark-Taiwan and Jin Air a subsidiary of Korean Air with chartered flights to Incheon in South Korea.