MANILA, Philippines—Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has hired urban planner and architect Felino “Jun” Palafox for its massive airport city project in Bulacan province.
In a statement on Tuesday (May 11) SMC said Palafox will help master plan the new metropolis, which is separate from the international air hub being planned in the same complex.
SMC boss Ramon Ang said the goal was to “correct some of the shortcomings” seen in urban centers such as Makati City and Bonifacio Global City in Metro Manila.
“What we hope to do is have even better urban planning for the airport city,” Ang said in the statement.
“First, access will not be a problem, we want to avoid traffic jams which is the result of poor transportation and limited road networks leading into and out of the airport city,” he said.
“Second, we want to improve on open spaces, to have more of them, perhaps make them interconnect. Parks, wider pedestrian areas, dedicated bicycle paths–these are just some of the things we want to include in the masterplan,” he added.
The airport project was delayed after a planned groundbreaking event during the first quarter of 2021 did not push through.
SMC also tapped Palafox to integrate “sustainability features” on its proposed Pasig River Expressway and the group’s road projects.
“Our expressway projects are all designed to decongest Metro Manila’s major roads by diverting more private vehicles and freeing up space for commuters and public transportation,” Ang said.
“But they are also designed to serve as a platform for other modes of mobility, including mass transportation such as bus rapid transit or high-capacity point-to-point transport systems. Palafox will help us bring all these to reality,” he added.