Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla proposed to Malacañang that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is to be converted into a park once Sangley is operational, last February 19, 2020.
NAIA has been one of the International Airport serving Metro Manila. It is also serves as the main international gateway in the Philippines and hub for AirAsia Philippines, Cebgo, Cebu Pacific, PAL Express, and Philippine Airlines.
According to Governor Remulla, Sangely Point International Airport (SPIA) or Sangley Airport is to be fully operational in six to eight years. It is also seen as the long-term solution to the congestion problem of NAIA. In which it can serve up to 130 million of people per year.
Making the old NAIA lose it’s grounds whether to continue it’s service. He proposed that the NAIA be converted into a national park that will cover 750 hectares and be “the lungs of Metro Manila,” the project “is beyond our purview.”
The consortium of MacroAsia Corp. and Beijing-run China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. (CCCC) will be Cavite’s joint venture partner for the first phase of the SPIA, which will include a runway with an annual capacity of 25 million passengers and the 4.6-kilometer Sangley-Kawit connector road.
He insisted that the project will have no sovereignty issues since there are enough safeguards in the contract. While the provincial government can step in and control the project if officials see the consortium is not being handled properly. Since the Sangley Airport was already inaugurated.
The $4-billion first phase of the project, which he said has “no cost to the national government and without any sovereign debt or guarantee,” is expected to be partially operational by 2022 and have full operability by 2023.
The cost of the second phase, which will have two runways with an annual capacity of 75 million passengers, will be $6 billion and will be constructed over four years.
The “ultimate” phase will have four runways, with an annual capacity for 130 million passengers.
Also, Remulla said “they said it is up to the next president… to take cognizance of the project.” even though President Duterte and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III were ecstatic over the idea.
Sources: The Philippine Star, GMA Network, manila-airport.net
Photo Sources: philstar.com, abs-cbn, spia.ph, manilabulletin
