(Photo grabbed from iOrbit News)
CLARK FREEPORT – Expressing disappointment over the pending privatization of the airport here, Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and chief executive officer Alex Cauguiran announced here yesterday his resignation.
But while he lamented the privatization of the Clark International Airport, Cauguiran told employees and supporters at the airport his resignation was because he would run for mayor of Angeles City under the local party Kambilan deng Abe Kapampangan.
This, even as he expressed confidence that the Clark airport would be able to handle an unprecedented 2.5 million passengers by the end of the year.
He also boasted that during his 26-month term at the helm of CIAC, the number of domestic flights here increased by 436 percent while international flights increased by 26 percent.
Clark airport now has 289 domestic flights and 168 international flights weekly.
Cauguiran said Jaime Melo, son of former Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Melo, would assume his post pending the completion of the privatization process.
Plans to put into private hands the management and operation of the Clark airport are expected to be realized by the end of the year or early next year.
“I can’t do anything about it, but I really have not favored privatization of the Clark airport. It should be better in the hands of the government,” he told his audience.
Cauguiran was among those who pioneered in the conversion of the military airport here into an international airport soon after the US Air Force left its base here, under the Move Clark Now movement.
Cauguiran said he would file today his mayoral candidacy, with actress Maricel Morales as his vice mayoral candidate. His city council ticket includes laicized Catholic priest Fr. Sonny Pahed and former Barangay Balibago chair Tony mamac and incumbent councilors Jae Flores and Jay Sangil.
