President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the opening of the Clark International Airport’s modern terminal building sent a strong message to the world that the country is ready for more investments.
“This is exactly what we had been talking about. We insisted to come here because this is an important event for several reasons. How do we leverage the assets of the government and get the synergy,” according to Marcos lauding the public-private-partnership (PPP) scheme advocated by the previous administration.
“This facility is another building block to become the logistic area of the Philippines. Now we have another airport kung saan makapasok ang mga turista. Those who are visiting the Philippines,” said Marcos referring to foreign tourists. “Ganitong ganito ang ating kailangan.”
Marcos said the Philippines is ready to do business with foreign investors and it was the same message that he conveyed when he met American investors in New York recently on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly Meeting. Marcos was able to invite Indonesian and Singaporean investors to do business in the country during his first state visits as chief executive.
“It is a signal to the world that we open for business. It the message that we conveyed when we were in New York. We met with many businessmen. The idea is to tell them we are willing to change in terms of documentation, structure and even legislation to encourage (them) to come to the Philippines.”
Said Marcos:
“The Philippines is here, a good place to invest, has the vibrant economy in Southeast Asia. We understand the needs of our potential investors and we will do everything so that the partnership will be at the advantage of the private sector and the government.”
Marcos led the opening of the new Terminal Building of Clark International Airport in Mabalacat, Pampanga on Wednesday. The modern CRK Terminal which is located in a 110,000 square-meter area is expected to accommodate eight million passengers per year.
The CRK Terminal is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities such as self-check-in kiosks for a much safer and efficient travel.
Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, a former high-ranking official of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) said the opening of the Clark International Airport’s new terminal is “critical to the rebound of the tourism industry.” Bautista said Clark airport “will dramatically enhance passenger experience.”
Bautista said he has “keen familiarity with the aviation sector prior to taking my first government post.”
“Clark airport’s development is a solid showcase of partnering with private sector. We want Clark airport more than just an alternative airport. We expect the continuous modernization of Clark to stimulate tourism traffic, generate jobs and boost economic activity. Let’s hope that this airport will be a tourism attraction itself.”
With President Marcos Jr. are First lady Liza Araneta Marcos, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Transportation Secretary Bautista, Luzon International Premier Airport Development (LIPAD) Corporation Chairman Frederick Go, and Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) chairman of the Board of Directors Delfin N. Lorenzana.