CEO AND ADVOCATE. New CIAC President-CEO Emigdio Tanjuatco III is all ears to Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement Chair Pert Cruz’s discussion of the history and issues attendant to his group’s advocacy for the full development of the Clark Freeport and the Clark airport. Photo by Bong Lacson
CLARK FREEPORT – The newly-appointed president and CEO of the Clark International Airport (CIAC) finally faced the media with his plans and visions. During the monthly media forum “Talk Widus” at the Widus Hotel and Casino here organized by the Pampanga Press Club last Wednesday, Atty. Emigdio Tanjuatco III admitted that he has no direct orders from the Palace but said he intends to make Clark more relevant to the national government and the Philippines.
From this perspective, Tanjuatco said he realized the potential of Clark as well as its opportunity and wanted to erase the misconception that the Clark International Airport (CIA) is just a “spill over airport” or a “secondary airport” to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila.
“Clark should be the premiere airport,” he declared. Tanjuatco revealed that during his discussions with the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) as well as with the national government, “there is this realization that Clark in itself has its own catchment area that is not fully tapped and fully developed.”
Therefore, he said, “if you asked me on my marching orders this could be it –to tap and develop that catchment area.”
He said he intends to “develop passengers and at the same time to attract more airlines.” Tanjuatco noted that the structure is there but there are no passengers and flights. “That is the primary problem of the airport,” he said. “Of what use would those facilities and infrastructure if there are no passengers or flights?” he asked.
“I give credit where credit is due – to the previous management of the airport. They were able to provide the necessary facilities for the airport. As compared to before, Clark is more beautiful now,” he said. Tanjuatco said an approved budget of P1.2 billion for the new terminal would increase its passenger capacity to four to eight million.
“Reding redi na po (It’s very much ready) to become a premiere international airport,” he said. “Based on market studies, there are at least 1.5 million passengers coming from Regions 1,2,3 and the Northern part of NCR who would rather go to NAIA than Clark for the reason that they are not aware that there is the Clark International Airport,” he said.
Tanjuatco said he enjoined the CIAC management team and other departments to have “a paradigm shift.” He said he urged them to “focus on marketing the airport.” With this vision, Tanjuatco said he is targeting passenger capacity to at least three million in the next two years.
“I want a passenger capacity of at least three million. This is a very high expectation, but I want to set the bar that high to be able to show the corporation and the national government that we are serious in getting all these passengers,” Tanjuatco said.
Meanwhile, Tanjuatco also vowed to invite airlines (Emirates Airlines and Philippines Air Asia) that pulled out their operations from the CIA. “We want to engage these airlines and tell them to give priority to Clark airport,” he added.
Air Asia Berhad of Malaysia recently relaunched their four times weekly Clark-Kuala Lumpur flights which is expected to boost passenger traffic at the airport this year. “We have to show the national government that Clark airport is relevant to the Philippines so as to justify the support being given by the Aquino administration,” he said.
