CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga – The new passenger terminal building (PTB) of the Clark International Airport (CRK) is 99.14 percent complete.
This was disclosed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in its official Facebook page, and said that "building shell" of the new PTB was almost finished.
The project is being undertaken by the MEGAWIDE GMR Construction Joint Venture, Inc. (MGCJV), and being monitored by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
Dubbed as “Asia’s next Premier Gateway”, the new Clark PTB is expected to beef up economic progress and development in Central Luzon. It was under the “Build, Build, Build” Program of the Duterte administration which will soon pave the way in creating more jobs and boosting tourism in the country.
Once completed, the operational capacity of CRK will drastically increase from 4.2 million to 12.2 million passengers annually.
The expansion of CRK would like ease air traffic congestion specifically at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila.
Meanwhile, Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President Aaron Aquino said there was a need to realign major projects at CRK to consider the “new normal” scenario brought about by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
"Development plans and timelines will have to be revisited considering the 'new normal' scenario so the government may cautiously proceed to start building a globally-competitive aviation complex." Aquino said.
Projects laid on the table were the new Air Traffic Control Tower, the upgrading of the Airfield Ground Lighting (AGL) System, a new radar system and the construction of the second runway in conformity with the CRK Masterplan.
Simultaneous to these projects will be the commitment for on-and-off airport commercial development which includes hotels, business offices and convention centers, parking bays, shopping malls, cultural and entertainment attractions, factories, research and development facilities and air cargo, logistics and service industries.