The development of the Clark International Airport (CRK) will ease traffic in Metro Manila.
At least 12 million out of the 36 million passengers using the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) come from the northern and Central Luzon provinces.
It is estimated that around six million vehicles are clogging the heavy congested EDSA.
The volume of vehicles in Metro Manila will be drastically reduced if travelers from Regions 1, 2 and 3, the Cordillera Autonomous Region, and the CAMANAVA Area (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) will use Clark airport instead of the over-crowded NAIA.
These areas have a combined population of around 24.2 million, a huge market potential of CRK.
“Clark’s progress also spells the growth in investment and will augment the further progress of Dagupan and Pangasinan,” Dagupan City Administrator Farah Decano said.
Also presented during the Dagupan Roadshow is an update of the Master Development Plan which includes the building of a new Passenger Terminal with an eight million-passenger capacity. The expansion plan will be implemented by the Department of Transportation headed by Secretary Arthur Tugade.
The DOTr plans to build another terminal by 2019 or before President Rodrigo Duterte’s term ends while CIAC maximizes the use of the existing terminal with a capacity of 4.2 million passengers annually in the next two to three years.
The road show also featured presentations from airlines representatives of Philippine Airlines, Asiana, Qatar and Emirates.
“This is the time to do business, to expand, and to patronize Clark airport,” Martin Valera, Regional Director of the Department of Tourism Region 1, said, adding that Clark will vastly improve interregional traffic between north Luzon and southern provinces of the country.
PAL has already made its strong presence at CRK with domestic flights to Caticlan, Cebu, Davao, and international flights via Incheon in South Korea. The flag-carrier is also set to launch its Palawan route via Puerto Princesa and Busuanga domestic flights by March 26.
Meanwhile, AirAsia will launch thrice weekly Clark-Kalibo flights starting March 27 and four times weekly flights to and from Davao by April 22, two routes that are expected to further boost CRK’s passenger traffic.
CRK hosts other airlines such as Emirates Airlines via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha, Asiana Airlines via Incheon, Jin Air via Incheon and Busan, Cebu Pacific Air via Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and domestic flights to Cebu, along with Cathay Dragon via Hong Kong and Tiger Air via Singapore.
The CIAC roadshow will also be held in Olongapo, Balanga, Bulacan and Cabanatuan.