MAP airs support for NAIA upgrading
The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) has expressed full support to the plan to upgrade Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) while the Clark International Airport is undergoing redevelopment.
In a statement, MAP said it supports the plan of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to optimize, through upgrades, the existing NAIA while redeveloping the Clark International Airport (CIA).
A city airport, such as NAIA, has the great advantage of accessibility, it said.
Many large cities in the world recognize this, so they are improving and maintaining their old airports instead of phasing them out.
According to MAP, Tokyo is expanding its Haneda to supplement Narita. Shanghai has its HongXiao in addition to Pudong. Berlin's Tempelhoff continues to operate in addition to Tegel.
Washington, D.C. has Reagan National besides Dulles and Baltimore.
"We back the decision of DOTr to maintain and upgrade NAIA, a valuable state asset. Upgrading the existing NAIA facilities now will provide early and welcome relief to the present problem of severe passenger and aircraft traffic congestion at a time well within the term of the current administration," it said.
Pending completion of the upgrades, one quick way of mitigating the congestion in NAIA is to make Clark attractive as an alternate departure and arrival airport through appropriate inducements.
To achieve this, MAP has called for a holistic approach to the development of an aviation system for the Greater Manila Area and Luzon.
MAP has noted of the rapid increase in the volume of visitors to the Philippines, most of whom pass through the NAIA.
Thus, it called for immediate action and the harnessing of all available resources to promptly provide the needed infrastructure and management support for the growing number of air passengers.
The group welcomed the announcements of the government to undertake certain infrastructure projects, which are the indispensable components of the envisioned holistic aviation system.