San Miguel withdraws Clark terminal bid

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s largest conglomerate, San Miguel Corp, has withdrawn its earlier proposal to construct a low-cost terminal in the Clark International Airport (CIA), according to company president Ramon Ang.

“President (Aquino) has stated that the government will no longer entertain unsolicited proposals so we will no longer pursue it,” said Ang after the August 30 stockholder’s meeting for Philippine Airlines (PAL), another company he leads.

The government wants to develop Clark as an international gateway to decongest the national airport in Manila. There are plans for a new international terminal and a budget terminal but a crucial part of the project has been delayed – a Chinese-funded rail project that would take passengers about 80 kilometers from Manila to Clark.
 
Ang now has other plans. He is already in talks with investors for a US$500-million airport that would be constructed in 3 years.

He said the airport could be constructed 15 minutes away from Ayala in Makati City. “The area exists already. It will be much closer to Manila and is it a very good site,” he said.
 
Ang maintained that it is impractical for passenger to take a flight out of Pampanga when they can fly directly from Manila or nearby.
 
“It would take at least two hours to travel from Makati to Clark and you have to be at the airport two hours before your scheduled flight. So all in all there is 4 to 5 hours of preparation. How much would it also cost to take the train from Manila to Clark? The high-speed train is going to cost $10 billion. Is it worth it to spend $10 billion in a train? We are just being practical,” stressed Ang.

Ang said PAL will present President Aquino with a plan for a new airport in the beginning of 2013.

San Miguel already built and currently operates the airport in Caticlan, the jump-off point to Boracay island, a major tourist destination in central Philippines and one of the world’s favorite vacation spots. 

Constructing another aircraft could be beneficial for Ang since PAL just sealed one of the country’s biggest aircraft deals and the terminal it operates out of in the international airport is already beyond capacity. 

The Clark project will likely still have suitors. Metro Pacific Investments Corp chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan has expressed interest in building a budget terminal for the Pampanga-based airport as well as the rail line leading to it. 

More airports should come as good news to the Philippines as the country tries to attract more local and international tourists. – Rappler.com