Tulabut: Proud of Clark

Thursday, December 1, 2011

SEOUL, Korea (VIA COMCLARK) – Leaving for land said to be flowing with milk and honey via Clark always gives me that proud feeling. This is my third time now to be flying out of DMIA to the mainland US.

There’s a form of elation there in laying claim that indeed Clark’s airport is ready to become the country’s premier gateway. The DMIA may still be far behind its neighbor airports in Southeast Asia if we’re talking about huge, new and modern facilities like passenger terminal building. But my basis in saying that Clark is indeed ready is its present capacity – no matter how small when compared to other airports – to be mounting flights to major destinations.

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If DMIA is already capable of hosting flights that could have the US as a final destination, then what is stopping it to become a premier gateway? I would say that this is one of the barometers for its readiness.

Not to mention the fact that Clark’s aviation complex is so vast at 2,500 hectares. Throw in there the two parallel runways that are both 2.5 kilometers long, the newer one being built by the Americans themselves before they left and it was designed to be an alternate landing strip for US space shuttles.

This is one reason why CDC President Ping Remollo is all so bullish about the prospects for the Clark airport. He would always mention such directions to President Noynoy Aquino in his meetings with the Chief Executive. And I believe that Mr. Remollo was placed in Clark to help pave the way for the Aquino Administration to push for a veritable policy on the utilization of Clark.

Methinks too that the sensible former Dumaguete Mayor is PNoy’s eye and ear for Clark insofar as the many wonderful prospects not only for Clark’s airport but also for its status as one of the country’s leading investment destinations.

With Remollo and CIAC President Chichos Luciano, the Aquino Administration is heading for a great future in adopting even the so-called twin airport system where DMIA and NAIA could complement each other through a dedicated rail link.

Luciano himself has done wonders for DMIA in the past several years. And with Remollo now in the picture, I believe that things are looking up all the more for Clark and the country.

*****

And so I am now in cold Seoul, waiting for about 11 hours for my onward flight to Los Angeles. Good thing that my carrier Asiana Airlines still has this hotel incentive where I recovered a little bit from a red eye four hour midnight flight.

Asiana Clark Manager Jin Hak Jung does not only make himself occupied with sales at his office. He personally goes to DMIA to check on passenger processing.

Checking in at Asiana’s counters was a breeze. The staff that processed me was good enough.

So were the Immigration officers and those who handled baggage checks. Not to mention the courtesy and alertness of CIAC operations staff that include Nick Pine who are all smiles and ready to assist passengers who may need help.

While inside the waiting area, I found some good buys for additional pasalubong like famous dried mango products and even a miniature car lantern. It’s a little bit expensive at P650 but I hope it helps in the projects of the City of San Fernando which sells the parols.

The plane to Seoul – an Airbus 320 – is almost full, with some compatriots heading back to the US and some to their jobs here in South Korea. Some of them rushed to Asiana counter to enlist in the half-day city tour. Me? I chose the hotel to get some precious sleep back as it was so cold for a tour of the city I visited in 2004.

While still inside the Incheon International Airport, I went to exchange a $20 bill, which went for 22,040 Korean Won. My stomach was empty and cold as I arrived at 5 o’clock in the morning so I went to buy hot choco at a donut store for a 2,700 won.

In the afternoon prior to boarding the flight to Los Angeles, I had to buy coffee to battle my headache which was worsening. Trying a higher end coffee store, I bought a regular sized Café Americano and a fairly cut Tiramisu. The price of both? 9,000 won.

How much was all that in peso? Do the math. I think I was overcharged compared to what we have back home. Did I savor it all? With the high prices, every bit, I must.