Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) acting president Alexander Cauguiran revealed this yesterday after the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) approved recently the airport’s privatization plans.
At present, the Clark airport is being run by the government-owned CIAC, a subsidiary of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA). CIAC, however, is under the policy directions of the Department of Transportation.
In a forum here, Cauguiran said he expected the NEDA board, chaired by Pres. Duterte to finally affirm the move to pave the way for the bidding for the privatization project.
“I think Clark airport will be in private hands anytime in the next six months,” he said.
He clarified, however, that the CIAC would continue to exist and still have jurisdiction over “non-aero” parts of the 2,300-hectare aviation complex here.
The area also comprises other investments, including the Clark Global City zone which pay land rentals to the CIAC.
“What will be bid out is the operation and management of the passenger terminal and this will affect about 50 regular personnel,” Cauguiran said.
He said he still had no idea on interested bidders, but insisted that the affected personnel should be assured of full benefits in case they are not retained by a new private management.
Cauguiran stressed, however, that he was not personally in favor of privatizing the Clark airport, as he cited studies indicating that about 60 percent of the world’s best airports are run by their governments.
He also reported that Clark airport now hosts 300 domestic flights to 20 domestic destinations weekly, and 152 international flights, also weekly.
“In 2017, we accommodated 1.5 million passengers at the airport,” he noted, even as he expressed optimism that no less than two million passengers would be handled by the airport here this year.
Cauguiran also said that every night, three aircraft from Incheon and another one from Busan, South Korean land here. “Sixty percent of the passengers are Koreans,” he added.
There are reports that Filinvest, which already took over the management of the Mimosa leisure estate here last year, is also interested in bidding for the management and operation of the Clark airport.
