MAKATI CITY – The full and immediate development of the Clark International Airport (CIA) got a boost from business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan on Friday as he bared plans for an express train that will connect it to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and serve as a transport link.
“I think given that the main market for passengers should be Metro Manila, there would be a need for an express train between Clark and Makati and in fact all the way up to NAIA and NAIA will be maintained as the premiere city airport,” said Pangilinan at the Shangri-La Hotel here shortly after the annual PLDT stockholders meeting where he sits as chairman.
“We have actually commissioned a study with respect to the high speed train which will have four stops,” he added.
“So our thinking has always been to have a high speed train that will connect Clark with NAIA… of course it will have four stops… the first stop could be in the northern part of Manila, another in the middle part and Makati and the final stop is NAIA,” Pangilinan said.
However, Pangilinan said the decision to make Clark as the premiere international airport lies solely with the national government.
“I think it’s really the government itself which would decide on the basic terms on which Clark would be developed as an international airport so we don’t have any feasibility on that at this time,” he said. “So we just have to wait,” he added.
‘It’s a business decision that Clark would be the international airport as to what form and the timing of the project or parameters by which the airport would be developed, I don’t know,” he quipped.
Pangilinan revealed that the study is considering the high speed train on the side of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx).
“Let’s see what the study does. Most trains whether commuter trains or express trains are on the side of the highway or side of the tollways like in Hong Kong,” Pangilinan said.
“Narita (Japan) is somewhat different but it’s mainly for the most part on the side of the national highway and any part inside the city will be similar to what the plans will be for the express train,” he added.
“We have to leave the median free because hopefully we could build more lanes as the economy expands in Central Luzon. I think we have to expand as you approach Pampanga,” he explained.
Pangilinan has openly supported the full and immediate development of the CIA citing the congestion at the NAIA which causes flight delays and bottleneck traffic.
