Clark airport improvements planned

State-run Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) is working with the private sector concessionaire to raise standards at the Clark International Airport, one of the country’s busiest gateways.

CIAC, which manages the 2,300-hectare Clark Civil Aviation Complex in Pampanga province, said it would provide “oversight functions” at Clark Airport, according to CIAC officer in charge Darwin Cunanan.

The gateway is currently being operated by Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corp. (Lipad), which is led by conglomerates JG Summit Holdings and the Filinvest Group.

“The [Department of Transportation] gave CIAC the authority to represent the department in the functions of its administrative supervision over Lipad airport operations, so we shall be working closely with Lipad in ensuring that operations abide by international standards and other rules and regulations as provided for by the national government,” Cunanan said.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista also directed CIAC to “contribute to the overall efficiency of the Philippine air transportation system, and serve its role as an alternate airport.”

“As the national government’s aviation authority in Clark, we have been ordered to oversee the day-to-day operations of the airport simultaneous with our day-to-day management of aviation-related business activities within the civil aviation complex,” Cunanan said.

Other consortium members at Lipad include aviation services firm Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc. and Singapore’s Changi Airport.

The consortium won the 25-year contract to maintain and operate the Clark Airport in 2018 and assumed operations of the facility in August the following year.

The Clark International Airport expansion is among the Build, Build, Build projects started and completed within the Duterte administration.

The new terminal, which doubled Clark Airport’s capacity to 8.2 million passengers per year, was built by Megawide Construction Corp. and India’s GMR Infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the Transportation department also directed CIAC to ensure the airport facility is operated and maintained in accordance to International Civil Aviation Organization and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines standards. INQ