ANGELES CITY – The Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement (PGKM) slammed the move of the national government to allot P1 billion for the rehabilitation and repair of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), compromising earlier plans to transfer it to Clark airport.
PGKM Chairman Ruperto “Perto” Cruz said the decision of Transportation and Communications Sec. Mar Roxas to refurbish the internationally- maligned NAIA in Metro Manila “is a complete 180 degree turnaround” considering he had earlier supported calls to make Clark airport the country’s premiere international gateway.
“It’s exercise in futility. How can you revive something that is rotten? Besides, we already have a much bigger and far better airport in an ideal set-up in Pampanga,” said Cruz, who led the PGKM in urging the government to make Clark airport as the premiere airport of the country since the time of former President Fidel Ramos.
NAIA Terminal 1 Manager Dante Basanta earlier announced plans to repair the airport voted recently as the “World’s Worst Airport.”
The major refurbishing of the NAIA 1 will reportedly start in January and expected to be finished before 2012 ends. The 67,000-square-meter building has a capacity of 4.5 million passengers a year. Last year it served way beyond its capacity – or some 7.3 million people.
“As you can see, NAIA has served its full capacity based on records and has reached its saturation point. It is already congested. Transferring it to Clark will benefit the great majority of the people and not a few, including a Taipan,” Cruz said.
He disclosed that there are at least 25 million people in North and Central Luzon who are all in favor of traveling via the Clark Airport.
The restoration of the NAIA 1 is reportedly spearheaded by Roxas, who lost in the 2010 vice presidential race. He held consultations last week with top officials of the customs, immigration and quarantine bureaus, and Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) executives.
“The people of Regions 1, 2 and 3 will not forget the political gimmick of Roxas when he earlier vowed to help transfer NAIA to Clark. It’s a sign of insincerity,” Cruz said.
“It will backfire on him come 2016. He will be sorry for making a wrong move affecting his future political plans. Worse, it will affect the welfare of the great majority and only benefit a few rich men including Taipan Lucio Tan,” he added.
Cruz said Tan, who owns the Philippine Airlines (PAL), has been blocking the full development of Clark airport since PAL’s hub is in NAIA.
He also stressed the advantages of Clark airport (now known as Diosdado Macapagal International Airport compared to NAIA.
Cruz also said that Clark airport sits on a 2,500 hectare, flood-free area compared to NAIA’s 600 hectares.
