CIAC assures ‘seamless’ turnover of Clark airport operations

CLARK FREEPORT—The Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (Lipad) was assured of a smooth turnover of the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Clark airport by the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) within the year.

Lipad is now the corporate name of the erstwhile North Luzon Airport Consortium (NLAC) composed of Changi Airports Philippines Pte. Ltd., Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc.

“Key CIAC officials are closely coordinating with the O&M consortium and we’ll be working together to ensure a smooth transition,” CIAC President Jaime Alberto Melo said during a kickoff meeting held on February 15 at the office of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) here.

Melo said CIAC and Lipad will develop handover protocols for BCDA’s approval.

The BCDA is the parent company of CIAC, while airport operations are under the supervision of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

CIAC officials representing the offices of airport operations, human resources, marketing and finance, legal, information technology and public relations set up initial turnover plans for the transition to O&M.

The target date for both parties for the asset handover is on July 20, or 180 days after the signing of the O&M concession agreement.

On January 22, the Changi-led consortium signed a 25-year concession agreement with the government to develop the commercial assets and operate and maintain Clark airport’s new terminal building expected for operation by 2021. Ashley Manabat