China’s proposal to construct a railway system from Manila to Clark will propel the development of Clark International Airport (CRK) if it pushes through, according to Atty. Emigdio Tanjuatco III, president and chief executive officer of Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC).
“It’s a welcome development. Any plan to improve the connectivity between Manila and Clark is always a positive sign for the development of CRK,” Tanjuatco said in reaction to reports that China has made an offer to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte to build a railway system between the two areas in just two years.
“CIAC also proposes the construction of a railway to the North and a cargo railway to Subic,” Tanjuatco said in a statement.
The CIAC chief has been suggesting a railway system not only between Manila and Clark, but also between Clark and provinces in North Luzon since these are CRK’s catchment areas.
He noted that establishing a railway system will be a huge help in further improving the transportation system in North Luzon, home to about 22 million people. He added that a cargo rail between Clark and Subic will spur economic activities in the region.
Tanjuatco said a rail system will likewise benefit overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East, most of whom reside in the North. CRK currently counts Qatar Airways and Emirates Airlines among its airline clients, both having daily flights bound for the Middle East.
The North Luzon air hub is also host to Cebu Pacific, which has flights to Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore, as well as other foreign carriers such as Asiana Airlines (to Incheon in South Korea), Jin Air (Incheon and Busan, South Korea), Cathay Pacific/Dragonair (Hong Kong) and Tiger Air (Singapore).
Image courtesy of Gualberto107 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
