NAIA operations transfer to Clark lauded

By Reynaldo G. Navales
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
MABALACAT — Mayor Marino Morales lauded the move of Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas to transfer the operations of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to the Clark International Airport.
Roxas was hoping that the privatization of NAIA will raise the revenue of the government by up to $2.5 billion. The amount would be able to fund the construction of the new international gateway in Clark.
The NAIA has reportedly reached its saturation point, and there is no more room for expansion.
Operations at the NAIA should be stopped and eventually transferred to the Clark airport to solve aircraft congestion, said Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General Ramon Gutierrez.
The Clark airport is four times bigger than the NAIA, which has three separate terminals – NAIA 1, 2 and 3.
Mayor Morales said the people of Pampanga are grateful to President Aquino for eyeing the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport as the country’s premier gateway.
Morales said most of the Clark Civil Aviation Complex is within the territorial jurisdiction of Mabalacat town, which is eyeing cityhood.
“Should the Clark airport become the country’s international gateway, Mabalacat is expected to become the Next Makati north of Manila,” the mayor said.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile also supported the transfer of NAIA to Clark provided that the Northrail Project is already established, as the high-speed train would link Clark to the rest of Metro Manila.
“It will be beneficial to the country because it will link Central Luzon, especially Clark, with Metro Manila. We can transfer the international airport to Clark and leave the present international airport for further development,” he said.
The Airline Operators Council (AOC), whose members visited Clark airport recently, had also announced that they will transfer to Clark airport if the support facilities and the transportation are well in place.
“If the terminals and the high speed transportation like the speed train from Manila to Clark are in place, there is no doubt we will transfer,” said AOC chief Maria Lourdes San Juan.
The AOC members were impressed by the current development at the Clark airport.
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2011/10/18/naia-operations-transfer-clark-lauded-185618