BIZ BUZZ: 2nd runway to secure Clark’s cargo future

While Manila’s main airport continues to battle congestion, Clark International Airport is steadily positioning itself not just as a gateway alternative but as a cargo hub as well. And it’s building a second runway to help get there.

In recent months, a slew of global logistics giants have announced plans to expand their operations at the Pampanga airport, located more than 100 kilometers from the country’s busiest gateway, Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

United Parcel Service Co. is targeting September for the opening of a new sorting facility at Clark International Airport. Federal Express Corp. is expected to begin construction this quarter on a 78,000-square-meter facility at Clark International Airport. DHL Express has likewise acknowledged the opportunities emerging at Clark.

It is for this exact reason that Clark International Airport is building a second runway—a 3,200-meter backup strip that it plans to open by late 2029—according to Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president and CEO Joshua Bingcang.

In a roundtable discussion with the Inquirer, Bingcang said one runway would likely be enough for the Clark gateway over the next decade, perhaps even more. Building the second runway now, however, would ensure the airport can capitalize on its momentum.

BCDA has awarded the P206.9-million detailed engineering design contract to the joint venture of local firm Schema Konsult Inc. and South Korea-based Yooshin Engineering Corp.

Bingcang said the runway design is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2027, while the design for the airport’s P1.4-billion apron is scheduled for completion as early as August.

Clark’s second runway is expected to cost between P7 billion and P10 billion.

This additional runway has also been requested by Lufthansa Technik Philippines, the maintenance, repair and overhaul provider that plans to build a base maintenance facility at Clark International Airport.

See Also

Bank lending accelerated to 12.1% in May

The future runway could accommodate aircraft even larger than Airbus A380, the world’s biggest passenger jet, and perhaps even the Airbus A300-600ST—better known as the “Beluga”—which is used to transport outsized cargo.

After all, cargo players appear to be arriving faster than Clark can build for them.

******

Get real-time news updates: inqnews.net/inqviber