Mayor supports plan to transfer NAIA to Clark

Thursday, January 26, 2012

ANGELES CITY -- Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian expressed his support to the plan to transfer the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and its operations inside Clark Freeport.

Gatchalian, an active member of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), made this statement during the sisterhood signing between Valenzuela City and Angeles City.

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"As we look at the sprawling and prosperous cities of the world, their airports are in fact situated outside of the main city. It is not ideal that we have the airport within a sprawling metropolis," Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian said the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) is more conducive to the needs of the current flight and passenger volume of NAIA.

He added that service industries and other aviation-related industries are also within Clark and Metro Angeles Area.

The presence of the North Luzon Expressway and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway makes the location of the airport here more conducive to commuters from other parts of Central and Northern Luzon.

"Angeles City will also benefit from this plan and will translate to renewed development within the Central Luzon area," Gatchalian said.
It could be remembered that Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas first bared the option to transfer the operations of NAIA to the Clark International Airport in a recent Senate hearing.

Roxas was hoping that the privatization of NAIA will raise the revenue of the government by up to $2.5 billion. The amount would be able to fund the construction of the new international gateway in Clark.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile also supported the transfer of NAIA to Clark provided that the NorthRail Project is already established, as the high-speed train would link Clark to the rest of Metro Manila.