CLARK FREEPORT --- Officials of Angeles City have lauded the idea of President Duterte to make Clark International Airport as hub for domestic flights.
Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said that transferring local flights to Clark airport will solve congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
"I personally told him (Duterte) that [transfer of domestic flights] and the regional Asian flights to Clark to immediately ease traffic short term. Alex Cauguiran reiterated that also to the president when we met him together Dennis Uy, Simon Paz and Dan Concepcion three weeks ago in Davao Macalacang of the South," Pamintuan said.
"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 earlier said.
Cauguiran, head of the Advocacy for Dual Airport Priority (ADAPT), shared Pamintuan's statement saying 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.
Last June 13, Cauguiran said he, together with Pamintuan and other city officials, also discussed with Duterte the fast and efficient railway system that will connect Clark to Metro Manila and Clark to Northern Luzon.
"His pronouncement is the validation of his previous statements when we had a dialogue with him few weeks ago," Cauguiran said.
Duterte has suggested to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to study the idea of making Clark as hub for domestic flights.
The President said that roads leading to Clark will be constructed to support the implementation of the local flights transfer project.
"This is just a native idea. We will make road access to Pampanga airport so that we can transfer the domestic flights," Duterte said.
Clark international airport will be temporarily used for domestic flights while construction of the new airport near NAIA is being studied by the government.
"I don't know if we have the money to build an airport in Sangley (in Cavite). If investors will come in, then go but for the meantime, we have to remedy the overcrowded sky of NAIA," he said.
The President said he personally experienced air traffic congestion at the NAIA when the plane he boarded had almost ran out of fuel while waiting for its turn to land at the busy NAIA runway.
"We have been turning around and we are in danger of running out of fuel. I think it's only good for 17 minutes. Mabuti na lang pina-landing kami. I don't want special treatment," Duterte said.
"I want this stopped. We should not be treated different from the other suffering Filipino passengers," he added.
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