SMC gets Bulacan int’l airport project okayed

BULAKAN, Bulacan — San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has taken a step closer to realizing its vision of building an international airport project in Bulacan after the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) reportedly approved SMC’s unsolicited proposal recently.

The ICC approved the Bulacan international airport project proposal last March 28.

It includes recommendation to the NEDA Board for negotiations between the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and San Miguel Holdings towards conducting the prescribed Swiss Challenge, after finalizing the bidding parameters with the Department of Finance (DOF).

Showing support to the present government, a year ago the SMC proposed to put up an international airport in this historic coastal town, the birthplace of Gat Marcelo H. Del Pilar, the country’s great propagandist and hero, and General Gregorio Del Pilar, the youngest and trusted staff of First Philippine President Emilio Aguinaldo.

According to the business sectors in this province, Ramon Ang of SMC has truly found a right place for an international airport which is in the middle of Metro Manila and Clark in Pampanga.

Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado together with Vice Governor Daniel R. Fernando and several group of businessmen in the City of Malolos, said that the airport project worth more than P700 billion is to be constructed in the more than 2,000 hectares of land in this town wherein the 1,168 hectares of it is for an airport complex and is presumed to be done within the span of 6 years after the approval of the pronounced project.

It is a place where there are no volcanoes or large hills that could endanger the take-off and landing of airplanes.

It was recalled that in the last week of January this year, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez narrated that his department has studied the SMC proposal, but said the government is not yet ready for its final word on it.