Philippines' tallest air traffic control tower to open in Clark next quarter

State-run Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) is expected to unveil the country’s highest air traffic control (ATC) tower in the Philippines by the second quarter of the year.

CIAC, which oversees prime government land surrounding the Clark International Airport, envisions the 18-story tower to be the newest landmark in the economic zone.

“The tower will become an outstanding asset of the Marcos administration and is aimed at improving facilities servicing the world-class Clark International Airport,” CIAC President Jojit Alcazar said in a statement.

Alcazar said the ATC, which stands at 54 meters tall, will greatly enhance the ongoing development efforts under CIAC’s flagship projects.

Among the projects seeing progress are the establishment of a national food hub, a world convention and event center, and a multi-modal mobility hub.

These developments are aligned with Clark International Airport’s projected growth in its passenger volume this year.

Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD), the airport’s operator, is anticipating its passenger figures to reach between 3.3 million and 3.4 million this year—a huge increase from last year’s 2.4 million.

LIPAD Chief Executive Officer Noel Manankil recently told reporters that their projection emanates from airlines’ gradual phaseout from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

This stemmed from a resolution by the Manila Slot Coordination Committee (MSCC), emphasizing the need to decongest NAIA and optimize airport capacity.

“We’ll be able to vastly improve Clark's air traffic control system and allow for increased safety as we anticipate an increase in the volume of air travel,” said Alcazar.

Engineers and specialists from CIAC and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) recently completed training from air traffic communication manufacturers based in Larvik, Norway, and Milan, Italy.

Alcazar said they returned to the Philippines this last week, equipped with greater knowledge on operations of traffic communication, navigation, and surveillance systems.

The Clark ATC project was awarded to MSV Construction and Supplies, and is funded through CIAC’s parent company, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).