FDC-led Clark airport consortium unfazed by competition

MANILA, Philippines — The Gotianun-led Clark International Airport consortium is unfazed by competition from San Miguel Corp.’s New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, which is targeted to be up and running by 2025.

Filinvest Development Corp. president and CEO Josephine Gotianun-Yap said Clark International Airport would be an attractive gateway because of the huge market in northern and central Luzon, as well the National Capital Region which is now more accessible because of new roads.

“Clark has a huge catchment area covering both northern and central Luzon regions, with about 24 million inhabitants in addition to access to the NCR market. It’s superior accessibility thru the various markets through the SLEX-NLEX connector road, the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the South Commuter Railway project will make it accessible and an attractive gateway,” Gotianun-Yap said during FDC’s annual stockholders meeting last Friday.

FDC is the lead consortium member of the Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD) which has been tasked to operate and maintain project facilities and fit-out the new terminal at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

Its partners for the Clark International Airport project are Gokongwei-owned JG Summit, Changi Airports Philippines Pte., Ltd. and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc.

Gotianun-Yap said the Clark Freeport Zone and The Freeport City would remain a strong base for business with over 1,000 locators mostly international locators.

SMC’s P734-billion Bulacan Airport, on the other hand, is a greenfield project proposed by SMC as an alternate gateway to the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the country’s main gateway.

SMC will build and operate the 2,500-hectare “Airport City” in Bulakan town.