Recent press releases from the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC), the state agency that runs the airport here, has been referring to the airport as CRK.
CRK, it should be noted, is the code name assigned to Clark airport by the International Air Transport Association which is a trade association of the world’s airlines.
Consisting of around 260 airlines, primarily major carriers, representing 117 countries, the IATA’s member airlines account for carrying approximately 83 percent or 2,916 of total Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) air traffic.
No international agreement, however, binds countries to refer to their airports after the IATA code.
Early in the months after the US military left its base in Clark and as the Philippine government declared the area an economic zone, a clamor rose to name the zone after a national hero. The winner, however, was the argument that the former military base had already established itself internationally as Clark and that it made practical sense to retain the name in promoting the area for international investments.
Thus, it went that since the economic zone was Clark, its airport was uniformly Clark International Airport or, simply, Clark airport without any equivocation. Alas, names are so important that when Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo became president, the same airport had to be properly named, naturally, after former Pres. Diosdado Macapagal.
Nomenclature has always been of such significance as to reserve names of institutions and locations after heroes or their ilk of the highest esteem. Thus for a time, the airport here was honored to be called Macapagal airport.
But with ex-Pres. Arroyo jailed during the Aquino government and amid traditional political asslicking, the airport’s name went back to Clark. No other name but internationally known Clark.
So who decided to smear with CRK the eminent nomenclature history of Clark? The attempt is despicable. Only one airport so far dared allow reference via its IATA code, namely the JFK airport in New York. But JFK is unquestionably John F. Kennedy and New York is New York City.
Now here’s one code: KWN. Would this give some idea of where this airport is? Reference is to Quinhagak airport in Alaska. How convenient.
As for CRK, how pronounce? Kerk, Cork, creek?
And if initials are supposed to represent full words such as CIA for Clark International Airport, should CRK mean Clark Rinternational Kairport?
Lord, forbid.
