Lipad consortium takes over Clark airport

Lipad Chief Executive Officer Bi Yong Chungunco (2nd from left)accepts from Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade a certificate of turnover. PHOTO BY TONETTE OREJAS

CLARK FREEPORT –– The Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (Lipad) consortium formally took over the operations and maintenance of the Clark International Airport (CRK) here on Friday.

Lipad Chief Executive Officer Bi Yong Chungunco presented a new logo for CRK during a simple rite at the construction site.

The consortium consists of the Changi Airports Philippines Pte. Ltd., Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings, Inc., and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions, Inc.

It shall operate the CRK for 25 years.

Chungunco said the 179 workers of the state-owned Clark International Airport Corp. are “all excited.”

The workers’ motion for reconsideration seeking security of tenure is pending with the Department of Labor and Employment.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said CRK is in “better hands” with Lipad.

The airport’s new passenger terminal would be operated in the middle of 2020, according to Vivencio Dizon, president of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority./lzb