CLARK FREEPORT -- Colorful and bright Christmas icons will cheer arrivals and departure areas at the terminal of the Clark International Airport.
Recreating Christmas nativity scene with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, a life-size Belen is now on display across the departure area of the terminal while a big lantern on top of the airport build up letters greets passengers entering the terminal.
Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) acting President and CEO Alexander Cauguiran led the lighting ceremonies of the “Belen” (nativity scene) and Christmas lantern on Wednesday, December 13.
Cauguiran said he dedicates the big lantern locally known as parul to all the stakeholders of Clark airport.
“Sa lahat ng gumagamit ng ating (Clark) terminal, sa mga pasahero natin, mga stakeholders natin, mga concessionaires natin, lahat ng nagpa-participate para mas lalong iigting ang development ng Clark Airport,” said Cauguiran.
(To all our terminal users, passengers, stakeholders, concessionaires, and those who worked for the development of Clark Airport)
The airport executive also assured passengers on Clark International Airport’s readiness to handle increase in passenger volume this Holiday season.
Cauguiran said ten new domestic destinations in Visayas, Mindanao, Bicol and Northern Luzon were added in the airport’s flights.
“Practically, Clark is now connected to all the major islands in our country,” he added.
Recognized as one of the top 30 airports in Asia this year, the CIAC chief also expressed hope for the full development of the Clark airport.
“Ang wish ko na sa darating na Pasko, mas magiging kaiga-igaya para sa ating airport, sa mga gumagamit nito, payapa maging more efficient ang airport, not only now, but for more Christmas to come,” he said.
(My wish for this coming Christmas, is for the airport to be more pleasing to the people who will use it, peaceful, and more efficient; not only now but in the Christmas ahead)
Clark airport handled 1.162,778 million passengers from January to October 23 2017. Passenger traffic is projected to reach 1.4 million by year-end. The airport’s weekly flights reached 344.
It serves a growing network of nine domestic and eight international destinations, and is connected to various global destinations via the networks of Emirates, Qatar, Cathay Pacific, Asiana and China Eastern.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said the government will maximize the utilization and development of Clark International Airport to decongest both land and air traffic in Metro Manila and disperse growth and development to other regional hubs in the country.
Also present during the lighting ceremonies were Linda Pamintuan, director for the Subic Clark Alliance for Development; Eva Tejada, vice-president, Business Development and business Enhancement Group of Clark Development Corporation; Raphael Loui Romualdo, branch manager; Marlon Calasin, OIC-station manager both from PAL Clark hub; and other officials of CIAC.