The Clark International Airport (CRK), “Asia’s Next Premier Gateway,” is expected to “spur economic growth, boost connectivity and mobility” in the northern parts of Luzon, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on 18 July 2021.

Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said the airport, which is equipped with “state-of-the-art” facilities, will create a “multiplier effect” that will redound to the hospitality and tourism industries in Central Luzon.

President Duterte has said that the completion of the airport facility, developed by Megawide Construction Corp., is reflective of the government’s push for more infrastructure despite the pandemic.

The new passenger terminal building can accommodate 8 million passengers on its opening year, almost tripling the airport’s passenger capacity from the current 4.2 million to 12.2 million annually.  It is equipped for contactless baggage handling, passenger check-ins and check-outs, and an ordering system that will make travel by air hassle-free and effortless.  It also features gender-inclusive and PWD-friendly restrooms, advanced docking guidance system, and a Heroes Lounge for soldiers, police officers, and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

CRK will also be connected to the Philippine National Railways (PNR) via the North-South Commuter Railways (NSCR) Program, reducing travel time between Metro Manila and the airport to just 55 minutes.

Megawide and partner GMR Infrastructure Ltd., the consortium that developed the modern Mactan-Cebu International Airport, won the deal in 2017.  Operations of the CRK will begin within the year as part of efforts to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) in Manila.

Source: Business Mirror 19 July 2021

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/19/asias-next-premier-gateway-at-clark-defies-downturn/