‘Central Luzon airports can co-exist’

MANILA, Philippines — Will the Clark International Airport manage to survive and thrive once the largest gateway in the Philippines located in nearby Bulacan is built? Its operator believes that yes, it will persist.

The Luzon International Premiere Airport Development (LIPAD) Corp. stands by the viability of its airport as a gateway to the Philippines in the face of growing competition in Luzon.

In particular, LIPAD president and CEO Noel Manankil believes the Clark International Airport will remain as the gateway of choice for passengers from the northern side of Luzon.

Meanwhile, Manankil said the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) in Bulacan will serve the future demand from Metro Manila. San Miguel Corp. (SMC), the developer of NMIA, plans to begin the construction of the airport by 2025.

“Clark has its own unique catchment. It is designed to service central and northern Luzon, while Bulacan will probably be serving the Metro Manila and southern Luzon requirements,” Manankil said in a forum hosted by the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

The first phase of NMIA can accommodate as many as 35 million passengers per year while the Clark International Airport can facilitate a maximum of eight million.

The Clark International Airport promotes itself as the main gateway for travelers from the Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and sections of Metro Manila, combining for around 23 million residents.

The airport boasts of being linked to some of the largest tollways in Luzon, including the North Luzon Expressway and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

Manankil also said the airport is expanding its reach both locally and abroad. From Clark, travelers can reach as far as Doha and Dubai, and can also make it to the US through transit mechanisms in Incheon and Taipei.

Recently, the Clark International Airport has expanded its airline roster with the addition of Aero K, Air Busan, EVA Air, Starlux Airlines and Sunlight Air.

Manankil said the airport would bring in Hong Kong Express in June, offering passengers another option when going to Hong Kong.

In 2023, the airport facilitated the travel of nearly two million passengers, of which 1.36 million headed abroad and 640,381 flew local.

For 2024, LIPAD wants to increase the passenger volume to between 2.4 million and 2.7 million.