JICA starts collecting data on proposed NAIA in Cavite

TOKYO – The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has already started collecting information for a study on the feasibility of building a new Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on a reclaimed land in Sangley Point, in Cavite.

Jin Wakabaayshi, director of JICA’s Southeast Asia Division 5 (Philippines) under Jica’s Southeast Asia department, said that the survey had started early last February.

Wakabaayshi said he was recently in Manila to give a presentation on the information collection survey to be conducted explaining the timelines, and the scope of the study.

“Last week, we had just kicked off the study. The duration of the survey will be up to January 2016. But of course, there will be mid-reviews, there will be inputs made to DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) in various staged of the survey,” Wakabaayshi told The STAR in an interview last Feb. 17 at a meeting room of the JICA Tokyo office in the Yotsuya district.

Wakabaayshi said that there was also a presentation given by JICA and Japan’s Ministry of Land, Instrastructure, Transportation and Tourism (MLITT) to DOTC officials on how to improve the current NAIA operations.

The JICA executive said that the “information collection”survey will serve as a pre-feasibility study sponsored by JICA, explaining that the supposed JICA recommendation to build a new international gateway in Sangley Point was just an initial assessment that came out from the Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development for Metro Manila and Its Surrounding Areas (Region 3 and Region 4-A), study the agency had undertaken for the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in 2013-2014 as a technical assistance to the Philippine government.

“Based on a preliminary assessment, the Sangley Point was selected as a preferred option,” Wakabaayshi said.

However, this preliminary assessment still has to be further studied, Wakabaayshi explained.

“There has to be technical considerations especially on the environmental and social aspects. A  concept of a new airport in Sangley requires reclamation on Manila Bay or Laguna Lake. The survey will look into that aspect,” Wakabayashi said.