Proponent says 2 int’l gateway airports needed

The country should have two international gateway airports – one in Sangley and another in Clark – for public convenience and to cope with demand growth in the future.

"These two are strategically located to serve the northern and southern parts of Luzon. Those in Metro Manila can choose which one is more convenient to them which will also help ease traffic," said Edmund Lim, vice chairman of All-Asia Resources and Reclamation Corp. (ARRC).

An international airport in Sangley can be up and running in four to five years' time after the government gives a notice to proceed.

"It will be built by our company in partnership with foreign partners without the need for a single cent from the government. We have already signed all the contracts to make this happen. We are ready but we need the government to give its nod," he said.

Clark, he added, only needs to be upgraded and "perhaps should be the one whose operations and maintenance should be privatized," referring to a government decision to hold the O&M for NAIA apparently to give way to the development of a new airport.

NAIA has two intersecting runways and limited space for expansion, especially for a new parallel runway.

"We can have two airports we can be proud of, not just one. Clark is underutilized because it really needs to have a new terminal and infrastructure for easy access. It is the one that must be privatized, not NAIA," he said.

CAPA Aviation Center, an international think tank, said in its January report that NAIA should only be upgraded but not privatized which would discourage the construction of a new airport.