No assurance of flight transfers to Bulacan airport

MANILA, Philippines — The government will make no commitment to transfer some flights from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Clark International Airport to the proposed Bulacan Airport once it becomes operational, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Instead, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said San Miguel Holdings Corp., the project proponent, should ensure the competitiveness of the Bulacan International Airport to encourage airlines to operate there.

“Our condition is very clear, that there will be no commitment on the part of the government to transfer flights from Clark or NAIA to Bulacan. They have to compete to make the airport better, more attractive so that airline companies will voluntarily locate in Bulacan,” Diokno said.

In April this year, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board approved the P735.63 billion unsolicited proposal of SMHC to build and operate an international airport in Bulacan.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier said the Department of Transportation would issue soon the certificate of successful negotiation after the proponent decided to absorb costs for securing necessary local government permits and right-of-way acquisitions as part of the consession agreement.

The project involves the construction of a world-class, major international gateway with four to six parallel runways, modern terminals, a sea port, an industrial zone, and necessary infrastructure, such as expressways.

The development of the project is part of the DOTr’s multi-airport strategy to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, which serves as the country’s main international gateway.

San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang also said the airport could bring in 20 to 30 million foreign tourists a year.

Meanwhile, Diokno said the government has already finished seven of the 28 airport projects under its massive infrastructure program. These include three international airport projects—Lal-Lo, Puerto Prinsesa, and Mactan-Cebu—and four domestic airport projects—Tugeugarao, Calbayog, Ozamis, and Naga.

He said 20 out of the existing 42 airports nationwide have also been night-rated.

Going forward, four more airports, namely the Naga, Dipolog, Cotabato, and Cauayan airports, are targeted to be night-rated this year.

Diokno said the Bohol Panglao International Airport is scheduled for inauguration on Nov. 22, 2018, while Clark International Airport expansion project is also due for completion on June 2020.