By BCDA, TOTr, LIPAD
July 17,2021
The
inspection included testing of check-in kiosks, bag drops, and other
contactless features of the new terminal building. President Duterte was joined
by Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, Bases
Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO Vince Dizon,
Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corporation (LIPAD) Chief
Executive Officer Bi Yong Chungunco, Civil Aviation Authority of the
Philippines (CAAP) officials, and private sector partners.
Once
operational, Secretary Tugade said the new terminal building will not only
provide a modern air travel experience, but will help the economy recover from
the pandemic and equip Northern and Central Luzon with transportation
infrastructure for the future.
"Clark
International Airport will clearly showcase the best of Northern and Central
Luzon; from the world-class service this new terminal will offer and to the
thousands of job opportunities it will further open for many of our kababayans,
it is no doubt that the Clark International Airport will cement its position as
the next premier gateway of Asia. This will prove that the Duterte
Administration’s Build, Build, Build is not just a dream … it is REAL, it is
TRUE, and it is HERE,” Secretary Tugade said.
Secretary
Dizon said the modernization and expansion of Clark International Airport is
needed more than ever as it will help the Philippines “bounce back better,” not
just by the jobs it creates, but also through the supply chain it supports and
the trade it facilitates.
Clark
International Airport is expected to create 150,000 new jobs, equating to 0.4%
of the total employed population in the Philippines. Through production links,
supporting industries such as tourism, food and beverage, services,
infrastructure, agriculture and manufacturing are expected to benefit from the
modernized and expanded Clark airport.
“Thank
you to the more than 3,000 workers, engineers, architects, and designers, who
built this world-class airport for all of us. This is truly a testament to the
skill and talent of the Filipino... Today, despite the challenges of the
pandemic, despite the scourge of COVID-19, this truly world-class airport is
now here for every Filipino to enjoy,” said Secretary Dizon, who also serves as
Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs and Projects. “We hope and we pray
that this unprecedented infrastructure program will be continued by the
administrations to come.”
LIPAD,
the operator and manager of the Clark International Airport, assured that the
new terminal building was designed to be a space of safety, ease, and quiet,
with peace of mind of travelers high in its priority, especially in this time
of global health crisis.
Asia’s next premiere gateway: quiet, contactless
Chungunco said her group equipped the new terminal building with
state-of-the-art technology and vital contactless solutions for smooth and safe
operations.
"Intuitive and inclusive – this will be our mantra for the
new Clark International Airport. LIPAD designed CRK to be the airport of choice
for travelers flying in or out of the Philippines. Top priority is to fulfil
the mission of giving passengers a world-class travel experience, through new
technologies that support a seamless process and commercial offerings that
constantly cater to passengers’ needs while still maintaining that signature
Filipino, and of course, Pampango experience." said Chungunco.
The new terminal building, which caters to domestic and
international passengers, is located 1.5 kilometers from the existing Clark
passenger terminal. It has four-floor levels, 18 aero bridges and a floor area
of 110,000 square meters, and has a design capacity of 8 million passengers per
year.
Chungunco said LIPAD takes all necessary steps to ensure that
passengers, both inbound and outbound, go through strict safety measures.
“LIPAD remains flexible and adaptable to the needs of travel and assures the public
that Clark International Airport is steadfast in prioritizing public health and
is well-equipped for it.”
LIPAD is composed of Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit
Holdings, Inc., Philippine Airport Ground Support Services, Inc., and Changi
Airports Philippines (I) Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Changi
Airports International.
The Clark International Airport New Passenger Terminal Building
is the first hybrid public-private partnership (PPP) project completed under
the Build Build Build program of the Duterte administration. The construction
of the structure was handled by a consortium of Megawide Construction
Corporation and GMR Infrastructure Limited, while the fit out, operations and
maintenance were later auctioned off and awarded to LIPAD.
A total of 212 airport projects, 446 seaport projects, 10,376
flood mitigation structures, 26,494 kilometers of road, and 5,555 bridges have
already been completed under the Build, Build, Build program.
(BCDA/DOTR/LIPAD)
