ANGELES CITY--Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan has asked incoming President Rodrgigo Duterte to transfer regional and domestic flights from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to Clark International Airport (CRK).
Pamintuan said that he, together with his chief of staff Alexander Cauguiran, who is a former vice president of Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC), discussed the development of Clark airport with Duterte during their recent visit in Davao.
The transfer of domestic flights to Clark will decongest air and vehicular traffic in Metro Manila, according to the mayor.
Pamintuan said that Duterte was apparently convinced that Clark airport needs to be developed in order to decongest Metro Manila.
"Motorists coming from the North will no longer add up to the volume of vehicular traffic along EDSA. We will have an airport in the North which is Clark and airport in the south which will serve passengers south of Metro Manila," Pamintuan said.
Cauguiran, head of the Advocacy for Dual Airport Priority (ADAPT), said the full utilization of Clark will spur development not only in Central Luzon but in the entire country.
Adapt is urging the incoming national leaders to prioritize Clark's development as major Philippine gateway to Asia and the Pacific, which the fastest growing aviation market in the world.
Businessman Rene Romero expressed support to the efforts of Pamintuan and Cauguiran for Clark airport.
Romero said he was elated when Cauguiran invited him to join the advocacy group for CRK's development.
"Very good, I was very happy when I saw them discussing the development of Clark airport with our incoming President Duterte," Romero said in the vernacular.
Various groups which are advocating for Clark airport's development should unite and convince the incoming national leadership to prioritize the full development and utilization of CRK.