CLARK FREEPORT -- The government-run Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) has assured the consortium Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corporation (Lipad) of a smooth turnover of the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Clark International Airport scheduled this year.

Lipad, formerly North Luzon Airport Consortium (NLAC), is composed of Changi Airports Philippines Pte. Ltd., Filinvest Development Corporation, JG Summit Holdings, Inc. and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions, Inc.

“Key officials (of CIAC) are closely coordinating with the O&M consortium and we'll be working together to ensure a smooth transition,” Jaime Alberto Melo, CIAC president, said during a meeting on February 15 at the office of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) inside the Freeport.

Melo added that CIAC and Lipad will develop handover protocols for BCDA’s approval.

The BCDA is the parent company of CIAC while airport operations are under the supervision of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

CIAC officials representing the offices of airport operations, human resources, marketing and finance, legal, information technology and public relations set up initial turnover plans for the transition to O&M.

The target date for both parties for the asset handover is on July 20 or 180 days after the signing of the O&M concession agreement.

On January 22, the Changi-led consortium signed a 25-year concession agreement with the government to develop the commercial assets and operate and maintain Clark airport’s new terminal building expected for operation by 2021.

Melo said the O&M consortium will build on the success of BCDA and CIAC and is committed to the accelerated growth of Clark airport as the premiere international gateway of Central and Northern Luzon to the world.

“With the government’s strong collaboration, the O&M implementation plan will ensure the riding public of further improvements in the quality of customer and flights services,” Melo added.

The Clark International Airport Expansion Project is the first successful hybrid public-private partnership project under the Duterte administration.

Clark airport is averaging around 11,500 passengers daily and registers 246 international and 480 domestic flights every week and targets to register 4.5 million annual passengers by 2022.