The Clark Airport–the only hope

Administrator — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:23:56 +0000

Whenever I travel internationally, I decide to closely observe the airports of those countries in comparison with the Manila International Airport. When I fly in an international airline, I got to depart from Terminal 1. The experience was humbling and I am certain that any Filipino who has flown in some countries would agree with me that the Philippine Terminal 1, which all international carriers use, is a shame to the country. This is the only terminal I have seen to have a reused plastic container serving as the rainwater control device in the middle of the departure lounge covered by dirty and stained carpet. The dirt and the disrepair for an international passenger terminal is unacceptable.
While Terminal 2 and 3 claim to be later additions to the supposed gateway to the Philippines, they do not as well do justice to the vision of a more progressive Philippines. Terminal 2 does not provide the services that modern travelers now require for an airport. It does not even have a decent restaurant that hungry travelers could go to. Terminal 3 (aside from the fact that you will always be afraid of failing ceilings) is still in the state of terminal controversies.
The need, therefore, for a modern airport comparable to our neighboring countries and suited to the needs of the passengers is a no-brainer. And as it is next to impossible to expand the NAIA, our next best alternative (if not the only alternative) is the Clark International Airport, better known as the DMIA. There are a myriad of factors that would favor this option, such as the space availability for expansion to four runways, the proximity to Manila which is just one hour away with a smooth NLEX, the completion of the SCTEx connecting Clark to both Subic and Tarlac and to the North Luzon region, the completion of the Subic Seaport and the rapid development of Central and North Luzon as new growth areas for the Philippines.
If we accept the statement that the airport is the window to the country’s soul, the Clark International Airport, hence, is our only option for salvation and redemption from uncompetitiveness in the region.
It is quite disappointing, though, that the bidding for the construction of the Terminal 2 of DMIA failed. I have been a witness to the sacrifices of CIAC personnel in working long hours to make the bidding work. It was disheartening to see their sacrifices go for naught. For some reasons, it failed and that is a hard reality for the Philippines that is so much in need of that public infrastructure.
While we could all grind our teeth for such a setback, every Filipino should rally to the realization of this need. And while we hunger for an international airport, we must make it a sense of citizenship, a moral duty, that the next airport that we will have should be a source of national pride and not of collective shame such as the Terminal 3.
The realization of our aspirations for a globally competitive Philippines is embodied in the success of the completion of the DMIA as the premier gateway to the Philippines. It is not only a public infrastructure. It is a structure that would show who we are as Filipinos to the world. It is, therefore, our duty as patriotic citizens to make it happen. There is no other choice—a choice that we could very well make.

Busy bodies

Administrator — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:19:41 +0000

Build and they will come.
From merely nothing flying out of the Clark international airport after the cataclysmic eruptions of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, the succeeding secondary explosions that emitted fine volcanic ashes and the dreaded lahar flows—the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport has metamorphosed into one of the busiest airports in the Asian region. Back then, we only had migratory birds visiting the two 3.2-km parallel runways, a contrast when the US military might is felt by the presence of the F4 phantoms lined up in front of the DMIA tower.
One man dared to dream and brought in the first international flights in the desolate Clark airport—Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano, then posted as EVP of the Clark Development Corp. Thus in October 2003, the first flight of Asiana arrived at the airport and the rest is history.
At the helm of CIAC, Luciano had been relentlessly pursuing important projects for DMIA that will make it the premier international gateway and a vibrant logistics and services hub. No wonder that for four days last week starting November 6, Luciano along with EVP/COO Alexander S. Cauguiran, VP for Finance Romeo Dyoco and VP for Operations and Business Development Bienvenido Manga had been busy attending to groundbreakings and inaugural flights.
On November 6, CIAC broke ground with SIA Engineering Company, in partnership with Cebu Pacific Air for the establishment of a $100-million Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility. Luciano, SIA Engineering Company headed by President and CEO William Tan and Cebu Pacific President and CEO Lance Gokongwei led the groundbreaking rites as well as the time capsule-laying for the multimillion-dollar facility, which was also attended by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The MRO Facility at the Changi Airport in Singapore is already congested and thus the establishment of the MRO facility in Clark is expected to further improve services at DMIA and make it more viable as the next premier gateway of the Philippines. “The MRO fulfills the vision of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to make Clark a leading world-class service hub in the Asia Pacific-Region,” said Luciano.
“We have always been impressed with the Filipino people. We are excited about Clark,” said SIA Engineering’s Tan.
“A world-class MRO facility at Clark will further enhance aerospace into the Philippines. With SIA Engineering Company’s MRO proficiency, we will certainly develop the local talent pool of aerospace management and engineering personnel. In addition, a heavy maintenance facility in the Philippines will significantly enhance Cebu Pacific Air’s dispatch reliability and engineering quality,” said Gokongwei.
On November 7, another groundbreaking was held for the establishment of the P1-billion aircraft hangar facility of new kid on the block Spirit of Manila. The hangar is capable of handling the Boeing 747-800, Airbus A-320 and the Airbus 380. Spirit of Manila will mount flights to Taipei and Macau and had been also planning to fly to the Middle East to serve OFWs.
On November 8 and 9, Cebu Pacific Air launched its flights to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and Macau. Residents of Central and Northern Luzon have welcomed the flights, particularly the “Go Lite Fares” offered by Cebu Pacific, allowing families to visit their kin who are working in Asian countries more often.

NewsCentral » airport

The Clark Airport–the only hope

Busy bodies