President Benigno Aquino III has given the go-signal for the building of a third runway to ease congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The next step will be for the National Economic and Development Authority to approve the project, according to Department of Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya.
Expected to be completed by 2016, the infrastructure project has an estimated cost of at least P2.4 billion, which could increase if it includes the construction of a fourth terminal at the airport, Abaya said.
“The president’s guidance was very clear,” Abaya said.”We’ll find ways to have this completed before his term ends because the benefits are clear,” he added.
The additional runway is expected to raise capacity at the airport from 42 aircraft takeoffs and landings per hour to 48 aircraft movements. If the fourth terminal is constructed, it could increase landings and takeoffs to 58 per hour.
NAIA currently has two runways: a primary 3,400-meter runway and a shorter intersecting runway.
Photo from www.dotc.gov.ph
