spot_img
28.1 C
Philippines
Friday, March 29, 2024

Government urged to upgrade provincial airports after Xiamen mess

- Advertisement -

Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito has urged the government to upgrade provincial airports and decide on the location of a new gateway to avert a similar paralysis that hit the Ninoy Aquino International Airport after a Xiamen Air plane skidded off its runway.

In an interview over radio dzbb on Sunday, Ejercito said authorities should already decide where to locate the secondary airport, noting that many options have been offered, such as Sangley Point in Cavite.

“The DOTr should make a decision on where our airport would be,” he said, adding this is the only long-term solution to the congestion at Naia.

Ejercito said the Xiamen incident should serve as an eye opener for the government.

“Naia is a single runway international airport. By today’s standards, all airports should have two parallel runways,” he said.

- Advertisement -

He said authorities can develop Clark International Airport for a medium-term solution.

“Clark is already there. It’s about triple the size of Naia. And they are already constructing the new airport building in Clark, and that’s a P12-billion facility,” he said.

Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr., for his part, said Clark International Airport should be primed this early so that it can fully function as the country’s main gateway should the so-called “The Big One” knock out Naia.

“Clark should gear up this early so that it can seamlessly absorb all of the NAIA’s international and domestic flight operations in the event that the latter’s two runways and systems are put out of action by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake,” Campos, a deputy minority leader, said.

Campos said Clark’s aviation infrastructure is likely to be left undamaged, or only slightly scratched, by the massive tremor bound to strike and devastate Metro Manila “in our lifetime.”

“Considering that ‘The Big One’ may happen anytime, Clark should be prepared to methodically mobilize and run as our primary aviation gateway anytime, complete with ready access to the required additional logistics,” he said.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles