Gov’t urged to review multiairport strategy

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is skeptical about the Department of Transportation’s Metro Manila multiairport strategy, which espouses a free-market approach to building air gateways as long as these comply with the law and come with no strings attached.

With the policy, the government has received offers for two brand-new international hubs in the provinces of Bulacan, north of Metro Manila, and Cavite in the south.

This is apart from a proposal by some of the country’s richest businessmen to modernize and operate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) in Manila and the Duterte administration’s own initiative to expand Clark International Airport in Pampanga province.

An IATA official said the government’s commitment to a multiairport approach for Metro Manila required further study and that a definitive master plan was needed.

“Having a multiairport operation can be complicated,” Vinoop Goel, regional director for airports and external relations, said in an e-mail to the Inquirer.

He explained that the government should undertake “adequate analysis and consultation” on access, capacity and cost issues.

“Developing an aviation master plan for Manila in consultation with the airlines will help resolve this,” Goel said.

Goel also echoed earlier concerns by IATA on the privatization of airport operations. But he said such worries could be addressed through the proper “regulatory controls.”

The DOTr opened the door to all airport proposals as long as these had no subsidies and guarantees from the government. In the end, the choice on which airport to use would be left to the flying public, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade had said.

In the wake of this policy, the DOTr received proposals from the Cavite provincial government and conglomerate San Miguel Corp. to build a new international airport in Sangley Point in Cavite and in Bulakan, Bulacan, respectively. Upon full completion, the facilities will each have up to four parallel runways and a capacity of more than 100 million passengers a year.

Naia Consortium, led by seven tycoons, two of whom own PAL and Cebu Pacific, also proposed to modernize and operate Naia for a period of 15 years.