Improve connections to provinces, SMC group urged

SMC SAP & Co. consortium, the group entrusted with the herculean task of rehabilitating the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), is encouraged to focus on improving the connectivity of the country’s main gateway not only to international routes but to provinces as well to boost travel across the archipelago.

Jean-Pierre Clercin, head of commercial for Asia-Pacific at Franco-Italian jet manufacturer ATR, stressed the need to build links to provinces lacking direct flight options.

“This [Naia rehab] project is a great opportunity to foster more connectivity in the regions,” he said.

Such a move is seen supporting tourism activities in the country at a time of travel resurgence for both business and leisure purposes. The Department of Tourism previously expressed optimism for this year after the country recovered 66-percent of prepandemic level for visitor arrivals in 2023.

Clercin, as such, also welcomed the initiative of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to upgrade the country’s regional airport network, earmarking a P14-billion budget this year to do so. The multi-billion funding will go to projects in Catbalogan, Tacloban, Laoag, Puerto Princesa, Kalibo, lloilo, and 16 other airports across the country.

The ATR official said it was crucial to directly connect secondary cities together and “allow people that need to move around the country not to have to connect to Naia, not having to spend two days in a bus.”

Firm support

Budget carriers Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines, meanwhile, threw their support behind the private concessionaire.

“We look forward to sustainable infrastructure improvements aimed at expanding Naia’s capacity, which will benefit the traveling public through both increased passenger efficiency and convenience,” Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer Xander Lao told the Inquirer.

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Currently, Naia only has an annual capacity of 35 million passengers, way below the actual volume of nearly 50 million last year. Rehabilitating the international gateway will increase its capacity up to around 60 million.

AirAsia Philippine CEO Ricky Isla told the Inquirer they also expect the group to build additional aircraft parking slots as well as takeoff and landing areas to accommodate more flights moving forward.

“We look forward to increasing our capacity both domestically and internationally in collaboration with DOTr and MIAA (Manila International Airport Authority), to ensure more seamless and affordable travel within Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and beyond,” he added.

In a week, the DOTr and the consortium led by San Miguel Corp. (SMC) will sign the P170.6-billion operations and maintenance contract after about seven months of the solicited bidding process. INQ