Second runway for Clark eyed

MANILA, Philippines — The government plans to invest as much as P10 billion to put up a second runway for the Clark International Airport to entice airlines, both passenger and cargo, to locate in the gateway.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said it would undertake a P2.8-billion project this year to expand the airside facilities of the Clark airport.

The expansion will provide additional space for the logistics carriers operating in the gateway, as the airport gets renewed interest for cargo giants, such as global shipping giant UPS.

Afterward, the BCDA will build the second runway for the Clark International Airport, a project that the agency believes could entice airlines to mount new flights from the gateway. The BCDA will require a minimum of P7 billion and a maximum of P10 billion in constructing the runway.

BCDA president and CEO Joshua Bingcang said a second runway for the Clark airport ensures that it can continue operating even in times of emergency. With this, the gateway can accept and send off flights even when the main runway is closed.

“We will spend P2 billion first for the expansion of the taxiways and aprons for the new locators, the logistics carriers, [so] they have places to park their airplanes. They have places to navigate inside the airport. That’s phase one,” Bingcang said last week on the sidelines of a forum organized by the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines and the BCDA.

“The next phase is to build the second runway, but it will take time for the design, as well as the construction,” he added.

Recently, logistics giant UPS has announced that it would expand its operations in the Clark airport as part of its $250 million investment to scale up its Asia-Pacific presence.

The company will build a new facility in the Clark International Airport in 2025. UPS hopes that the expansion hub will be completed toward the end of 2026.

For BCDA, these developments contribute to making the airport one of the logistics centers in Asia and the Pacific. The airport operator, Luzon International Premiere Development Corp., wants the gateway to become a launching pad for logistics giants expanding in the region.

At present, the airport is connected to several economies abroad, going as far as the Middle East.

Bingcang said the government is committed to keep on improving the Clark International Airport to enhance its viability as a gateway to the Philippines for both passenger and goods.