The first of many structures making up the P735-billion New Manila International Airport is seen rising in Bulacan beginning April next year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Thursday.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said land development at the Bulacan airport is more than three-fourths complete.
San Miguel Corp. earlier awarded a $1.73 billion contract to the Philippine unit of Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. to undertake land development for the game-changing Manila International Airport project in Bulacan.
“We expect structures to rise starting in the second quarter of 2024,” he said.
San Miguel earlier tapped the services of global firms Groupe ADPi, Meinhardt Group and Jacobs Engineering to design and build the New Manila International Airport in Bulakan, Bulacan.
All three companies were involved in building world-class airports, including Changi Airport in Singapore, the Atlanta Airport in the US and Charles de Gaulle Airport in France.
The initial designs, some of which were released earlier, envision a future-ready airport focusing on overall passenger experience and sustainable technologies consistent with the needs of the environment and the local communities of Bulacan and nearby provinces.
San Miguel said it would also engage a world-class airport operator to help manage the country’s future premier gateway.
The company is building the project on a 2,500-hectare property in Bulakan town about 30 kilometers northeast of Metro Manila at no cost to the government.
SMC’s Manila International Airport project, dubbed the largest investment in the Philippines, is seen as a game-changer for the local economy. A long-awaited solution to Manila’s air traffic congestion, it is seen to make the country a more viable and competitive tourist and investment destination in the region.
It is also projected to create over a million jobs and boost local economies.
