CLARK FREEPORT- A case of putting the cart before a P100-million horse?
The Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement (PGKM), a multi-sectoral group which initiated moves to transform the Clark airport here into the country’s international gateway, lashed yesterday against the allocation of P100 million feasibility study for the airport as a wasteful case of putting the cart before the horse.
“So many buildings and many other aviation facilities have already risen and continue to rise on the Clark aviation complex, so a feasibility study seems preposterous at this point,” said PGKM chair Ruperto Cruz.
The P100 million was allocated by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) from its funds.
In December last year, Pres. Aquino issued Executive Order 64 making Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) an attached agency of the DOTC which was given administrative control and supervision over the Clark aviation complex where CIA is located here.
Cruz also noted that several such feasibility studies have already been done for the Clark International Airport (CIA) and the rest of the 2,000-hectare aviation complex.
In 2002, then Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president and chief executive officer Rufo Colayco said there had been two master plans done for the Clark airport.
The first plan was drawn up during President Ramos’ term. In that plan, Clark was supposed to replace the existing Ninoy Aquino International Airport. A second master plan also envisioned the same for the Clark airport.
Colayco then urged the Clark Development Corp. (CDC), which then had jurisdiction over CIAC, to come up soonest with a final master plan for the Clark international airport.
A third master plan was drawn up during Colayco’s term in the BCDA, envisioning Clark as both an aviation passenger and cargo hub.
Colayco then said the continued delay in coming out with the Clark airport master plan was causing the delay in the “definition of the intermodal logistics center for the whole former US Air Force base.”
In 2007, CIAC already announced a $2-million master plan for the “holistic development” of the CIA, then called the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.
The plan was supposed to be done by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica).
“On behalf of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita witnessed the signing of the records of discussions between CIAC president and chief executive officer Victor Jose Luciano and Koica resident representative Kim In,” said one newspaper in that year.
The master plan covered feasibility studies only on Phase I of the airport as well as its logistics facilities, runway extension, ground transport center and international gateway terminal.
This, even as huge tarpaulin signages now motorists entering and exiting this freeport’s gate along Friendship Avenue in Angeles City, expressing “conspiracy and sabotage” in the full development of the CIA.
Cruz, who had installed the signages, urged Transportation and Communications Sec. Mar Roxas to resign amid his alleged failure to fully develop the CIA.
The PGKM was among those who pushed for Clark as international airport, leading to Executive Order 174 signed by former Pres. Ramos in 1994, declaring Clark as the “future site of the country’s premiere international airport.”
“We have waited 20 years, but up to now there is no sign that the main terminal will be constructed. There is no information on this. The present airport’s lobby and receiving counters are good only for passengers of two small airplanes,” he lamented.
