PAMPANGA, Philippines – Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the Clark International Airport will be restored by Thursday, April 25, “at the latest.”

In a media interview on Tuesday, April 23, Tugade said the Luzon earthquake caused around P30 million in damage to the airport.

“Lahat-lahat, kasama na ‘yung ibang equipment. Napagtanto ng ating pangulo at VP ng operations [ng Clark International Airport Corporation] na apektado dalawang express [lane]. Kumpuni niyan minimal. So at the earliest tomorrow, at the latest Thursday,” Tugade told reporters.

(That estimate is for everything, including the other equipment. The CIAC president and VP for operations learned that two express lanes were affected. That requires minimal repairs. So at the earliest tomorrow, at the latest Thursday.)

On Monday, April 22, aviation officials closed down the Clark International Airport as its control tower and passenger terminal were damaged, following the magnitude 6.1 earthquake that afternoon.

Tugade said he ordered emergency procurement of equipment and repair of facilities to hasten the process.

Asked whether the materials used for the affected parts of the airport were “substandard,” Tugade told reporters that the contract commitments must be examined first.

“Kung sasabihin nating substandard, dapat kunin mo ‘yung job description o contractual commitments. ‘Pag nakita mo ‘yun, kumpara mo. Saka mo sabihin na substandard,” he said.

(If you’re alleging that it’s substandard, you should see first the job description or the contractual commitments. Only when you see that can you compare. Then that’s when you can say it’s substandard.)

Several domestic and international flights have been canceled due to the closure of the airport. Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have announced cancellations until Wednesday, April 24.

As of Tuesday afternoon, disaster management officials announced that at least 16 people have died while 81 were injured in Central Luzon due to the earthquake. At least 14 remain missing.

Among the provinces, Pampanga suffered the most damage. It has been placed under a state of calamity. – Rappler.com