President Duterte lauded the newly completed Clark International Airport (CRK), saying it will help boost the economic development in North and Central Luzon.
Duterte made the statement as he led the inspection of the new passenger terminal in Pampanga on Saturday, July 17.
In his speech, the President said the newly completed structure reflected the administration’s commitment to improving the quality of life of every Filipino by providing big-ticket infrastructure projects.
He said the CRK, a major component of the Build, Build, Build program, will improve connectivity, mobility, create jobs, and disperse economic activity to the regions.
"This development will also certainly boost economic growth in North and Central Luzon and provide these regions their own gateway to the rest of the Philippines and the world," Duterte said.
"As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and adapt to a new normal, may we all look forward to a safer, easier, and more comfortable travel experience here at the Clark International Airport," he added.
According to the President, the completion of the new terminal building will ease traffic at the busy Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and at the same time provide locals and tourists a better flying experience.
"I just hope that the local economy can absorb the number of people coming to visit the Philippines," Duterte said in his speech.
"It will surely help decongest traffic at the busy Ninoy International Airport and provide a better flying experience for locals and tourists alike," he added.
The CRK is the first hybrid public-private partnership (PPP) project completed under the Build, Build, Build program.
The structure is said to be able to accommodate 8 million passengers a year, twice the airport’s current average capacity of more than 4 million passengers every year.
The structure is envisioned to be one of the biggest aviation complexes in Asia and the next premier gateway in the region.