San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has announced that it has officially secured a contract from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to begin constructing a new international airport in Bulacan. SMC first proposed the plans for an international airport in Bulacan back in 2016.
According to a report, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade signed the agreement on September 18, awarding SMC’s San Miguel Aerocity Inc. with a PHP 734 billion deal. The deal also allows SMC to build, operate, and maintain the New Manila International Airport. Ramon Ang, President, and COO of San Miguel stated during the media briefing that they “may be able to do groundbreaking before the end of the year.”
The project is expected to cover around 2,500 hectares of which 1,168 hectares will be the main airport complex, while the remaining 1,332 hectares will be developed into a township. Back in 2018, it was reported that the airport will not only decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport but also may bring in triple the number of tourist arrivals in the country.
The planned airport is expected to feature four runways and accommodate about 2 million passengers each year. It’s also noted that the project may involve building an 8.4km tollway to connect the airport to the North Luzon Expressway and also have it be accessible through the Skyway Stage 3.
