Duterte against reclamation projects, says Neda head
The proposal to build a $9.3-billion airport in Sangley Point, Cavite, may find it hard to secure government approvals as President Duterte supposedly does not encourage reclamation projects.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia told reporters last week that the President did not want land reclamation.
As such, the proposal of Cavite’s provincial government to transform the former US naval base into an alternative to the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) might be affected by the policy, according to Pernia, who heads the state planning agency National Economic and Development Authority.
The Sangley Point International Airport project will involve the reclamation of about 1,500 hectares of land.
Also, Pernia said in an earlier interview that four airports around Metro Manila might be a crowd.
Besides Naia, the government is also redeveloping Clark International Airport, while it approved last month San Miguel Corp.’s proposed P735.6-billion “aerotropolis” in Bulacan.
Pernia said that the government would not abandon Naia, at least during the duration of the Duterte administration, as it would serve as a “fallback” if the Bulacan International Airport project gets delayed.
To recall, the Department of Finance had doubts on SMC’s capability to roll out the project, even as company president Ramon S. Ang had said that the diversifying conglomerate “can easily do that airport alone,” even without a partner.
The Neda chief said that the Sangley airport project’s proponents have yet to submit a feasibility study, but they might also need to make some calculations “if it’s still going to be beneficial for them given the existence of two airports” nearby. —BEN DE VERA
