3rd Naia runway pushed

Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. plans to submit an unsolicited proposal to the next administration to build a third airport runway and a new budget carrier terminal at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) as an interim solution to upgrade the highly congested gateway to Metro Manila.

For a longer term solution beyond 2025, SMC remained keen on pushing for the establishment of a brand-new $10-billion airport at the CyberBay complex near Pagcor Entertainment City, SMC president Ramon S. Ang told reporters Monday.

Ang said SMC would offer to help the government build the third runway at Naia and that he had already proposed the design to some officials of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), but these people were not receptive. If DOTC would change its mind and consider the project this time, Ang said SMC would be willing to submit the offer at the soonest time but that he could also choose to wait for the next administration.

To date, Naia has two intersecting runways.

Based on SMC’s internal study, Ang said it was possible to build a new runway to prevent airplanes from intersecting on the current runways. However, he said this would require the government’s acquisition of right-of-way in Parañaque, including a vast warehouse currently used by the SM group.