CLARK FREEPORT -- High ranking officials of the National Government broke ground for the P9.36-billion expansion project of Clark International Airport (IATA: CRK) here on Wednesday, December 20.
The project is the first hybrid public-private partnership venture rolled out under the Duterte administration and being implemented by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
From Clark Airport’s existing capacity of four million, the new passenger terminal would bring passengers annually to 12 million. The project is expected to be finished by first quarter of 2020.
“Ngayon ho, binibigyan natin ng kabuhayan ‘yung plano, ‘yung kagustuhan, at ‘yung dream ng mga Kapampangan, taga-Tarlac, taga-Zambales, taga-Central Luzon na magkaroon talaga ng premier international gateway dito sa lugar na ito,” said Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Building the new passenger terminal are Megawide Construction Corporation and India’s GMR Infrastructure after winning the public bidding recently.
Louie Ferrer, chief of corporate affairs and branding of GMR-Megawide, said the project will generate more jobs. He also expressed confidence in completing the project on time.
“We’re looking at about 2,000 Filipino construction workers. And we’ll provide jobs also to engineers, suppliers in the region and even the Filipino financial institutions,” Ferrer said.
“This (Clark International Airport expansion project) will have a 30-month project time. We’ll make sure we’ll deliver on schedule or even ahead of time,” Ferrer added.
In his message, on behalf of the House of Representatives, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez expressed full support to the construction of the new passenger terminal in Clark.
“Ultimately, as these structures make the movement of goods, services, and people easier, faster, and more efficient, these manmade marvels shall be our drivers for economic growth and upward development. Like a plane, we are taking off into the wide open air to reach heights yet known. As we Build Build Build, together we shall Fly Fly Fly,” said Alvarez, who is a former transportation secretary.
Envisioned to be Asia’s next premier gateway, CRK is also expected to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, said BCDA in a statement.
“The said airport is one of the high impact projects under the Build Build Build Infrastructure Program, and complements Clark which is being developed as the next investment hub in Asia,” the BCDA added.
Also present during the groundbreaking ceremonies were former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Senators Dick Gordon and JV Ejercito, BCDA President Vince Dizon, Clark Development Corporation (CDC) Chairman Ping De Jesus, CDC President-CEO Noel Manankil, and local officials led by Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda.