ICCP: New airport in Bulacan to decongest NAIA
SAN Miguel Corp.’s proposal to build a new international airport in Bulacan province offers the best solution to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), which is “no longer sustainable as the country’s main gateway,” a top official of the International Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ICCP) said on Wednesday.
In a statement, ICCP Founding Chairman Francis Chua said the recent NAIA “fiasco” brought to clearer light the airport’s problems, referring to the Xiamen Airlines plane that skidded off the runway after landing on its second attempt on the night of August 16.
The mishap forced airport authorities to close the runway, leading to scores of canceled flights and stranding thousands of passengers for more than a day. The plane was removed early morning on August 18.
“The recent debacle at the NAIA is a black eye for our country. It could not have come at a more critical time, when the Duterte administration has been making solid gains on many fronts crucial to the Philippines’ continuing growth story,” Chua said.
“With just two intersecting runways and virtually no space for additional runways, it cannot serve the needs of our growing economy and population, much less be a catalyst for economic growth,” he added.
A new international gateway outside of Metro Manila would pave the way for a long-term solution to airport congestion, which he said has “held the country back for so long.”
“After carefully studying all airport proposals today, we strongly believe that San Miguel Corp.’s New Manila International Airport proposal is the best for the Philippines,” Chua said.
Submitted last year, San Miguel’s proposal involves building, operating, and maintaining the P735.63-billion airport on a 2,500-hectare property in Bulakan town, as well as constructing a passenger terminal and an 8.5-kilometer toll road.
“At no cost to the government, and with no subsidies or guarantees required, San Miguel will build a futuristic ‘aerotropolis’ with up to four parallel runways [that] can be expanded further to six,” he added.
“With capacity for 60 aircraft movements per runway per hour, this will eliminate all congestion issues and significantly raise our attractiveness as a tourism and investment destination in the region.”
According to Chua, the new terminal would not only offer more convenience for passengers, but also increase opportunities for growth.
“It’s about time we have a truly worldclass airport we can all be proud of—one that will rival the best in the region and the world. Our country needs it, and our people deserve it,” he said.
The company is expected to face a Swiss challenge to its proposal after the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approved it earlier this year.