DOTC to endorse two sites for new airport

meeting next month.

Initially, the JICA proposed Sangley Point for the new airport for an estimated cost of $10 billion. This time, Abaya disclosed, the foreign agency had also cited central Manila Bay as another prospect for a price of about $13 billion.

conglomerate San Miguel Corpo up a new international airport also in Manila Bay for $10 billion. This, however, has not prospered, as the company never got to submit a formal proposal to the government.

Abaya said the country needs a new international airport to meet rising demand, which has seriously congested NAIA despite ongoing facilities upgrades.

While four terminals are already in place, NAIA has only one primary runway, and a secondary runway mostly for smaller planes, to accommodate about 550 planes landing and taking off per day.

This has created serious conges - pecially during peak travel seasons.

Abaya said earlier that JICA recognizes the merits of Sangley Point, as it is only 20 minutes by land to and from Metro Manila.

to look for a 2,000-hectare piece of land in Metro Manila that can host a new international airport.

The administration of President Benigno Aquino 3rd has also pursued—with limited success— from Manila toward other growth centers like Clark in Pampanga.