New state-of-the-art terminal can accommodate around 8 million passengers annually
(Eagle News) – Another world-class airport, the Clark International Airport (CRK), opened the gates of its new passenger terminal building on Monday, May 2, 2022, after all departing and arriving flights were transferred to the modern, state-of-the-art facility envisioned to be Asia’s next premier gateway.
“The 110,000 square-meter new CRK terminal has a design capacity of at least 8 million passengers annually, providing Filipinos with a transport facility that will help decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila,” said the Department of Transportation in a release.
The new terminal was completed in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, efforts to prepare the new airport for new normal travel continued.
“Despite and notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic, sige-sige at tuluy-tuloy ang trabaho para mapakinabangan agad ang proyekto ng ating mga kababayan. Kaya naman natapos sa kabila ng pandemya,” Transportation Secretary Art Tugade said.
“This project is a living proof that if we work together and jointly commit ourselves to provide a life of comfort and convenience for all, nothing will be impossible.”
-New comfortable facilities-
Domestic and international travelers at the terminal were introduced to its facilities equipped for the new normal of travel.
These include contactless features such as self-service check-in kiosks and bag drop systems, on top of inclusive amenities including all-gender restrooms, nursing stations, multi-faith prayer rooms, and the country’s first-ever lounge dedicated exclusively for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
-Dream airport-
“Finally, our dream of having a world-class airport serving Filipino travelers has been realized with the opening of the Clark International Airport new terminal building,” said Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) Officer-in-Charge President and CEO Atty. Aristotle Batuhan.
He said that this was a “testament to the legacy of the Duterte administration.”
-First hybrid public-private partnership project under Build, Build, Build-
The completed terminal building is the first hybrid public-private partnership (PPP) project under the Build Build Build agenda of the Duterte government.
“We at the BCDA are proud to have played a role in making this possible in partnership with DOTr, LIPAD and our public and private sector partners,” Batuhan said.
The BCDA executive thanked the “3,000 workers, engineers, designers and architects who worked tirelessly on the new terminal, even through the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Through their sacrifice, the new Clark terminal building is set to soar high, not just as Asia’s next premier gateway, but soon as a provider of jobs to thousands of Filipinos,” he added.
(Eagle News Service)