For tourists who wish to fly to the Philippines, they can opt to fly to the country’s hub, Ninoy Aquino International Airport. However, the airport’s three terminals is always full and needs updating. As a response to these problems, the construction of Manila International Airport in Bulakan, Bulacan is officially green-lit.

On Wednesday, the Philippine Department of Transportation (DOTr) and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) signed a contract for the $15-billion Manila International Airport. The airport will be under a private equity (SMC) with no government subsidy or guarantee. SMC will also be in charge of the airport for 50 years as part of the agreement.

Details of the Manila International Airport’s Construction

The bidding for the new airport in Bulakan, Bulacan was held in July. SMC was granted the rights to the project since no one brought in their own proposal.

The airport will be located on a 2400-hectare property, which will be enough for 4 runways, 8 taxiways and 3 passenger terminals.

According to SMC’s President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang, the airport will enable planes to take off and land simultaneously. Meanwhile, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said that the new airport will support NAIA and the nearby Clark International Airport in Pampanga. It will also open more opportunities to the public to choose which airport works best for them.

Once completed, an estimated 100 million passengers per year can use the airport. If the airport gets 6 runways, it can go up to 200 million.

Tugade also announced during the signing that he also included a Notice to Proceed, which will allow SMC to start construction.

SMC said that the groundbreaking for the airport is set for December and will be done in 5 year.

Other Construction Related to the Airport

To ensure that the new Manila International Airport will run smoothly, SMC and the DOTr will also work on improving airport access roads and tollways. SMC included a planned transportation system that would connect 5 major highways to the airport.

A train line is also a part of the project to transport passengers to key areas such as Bulacan, Manila, Quezon City, Navotas and Malabon.

Tugade supported SMC’s proposal and said it will help travelers reach the airport easily.

Furthermore, the team will also look into cleaning the rivers surrounding the airport site. The area is prone to sinking and flooding and it is because nearby rivers are overflowing even in light rain.

According to Ang, plans are already in place to pump out water and silt from the land. They will also clean the surrounding rivers (namely Tullahan, Malolos, and Meycauayan) within a year. River cleaning equipment is already on standby in preparation of the project.

SMC has also reached out to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Public Works and Highways and the Bulacan provincial government. The plans will also get environment clearance once the construction begins.

Philippines Travel Tips

 
For those interested in traveling to the Philippines, there’s a lot of guides available for information. In this site, we have a where to stay in Manila and Cebu guide. We also have a How to Get from Batangas to Caticlan guide.

For other details, you can check out the official website of Experience Philippines and the Philippine Department of Tourism.

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The Philippines is one of Asia’s most popular tourist destinations with many island hopping to enjoy its pristine beaches. As a result, the country has been working tirelessly to promote the country to tourists. It seems their efforts have paid off according to the recent report about the country’s tourism growth.

On Tuesday, September 10, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) released their latest Benchmarking report and highlights that the Philippines’ travel and tourism sector is growing immensely.

WTTC’s Assessment

In the report, the country’s travel and tourism sector brought in $82 billion to the Philippine economy. This alone covered 25% of the country’s total GDP. The WTTC also said that the country’s tourism has grown immensely for the past 9 years and signs show it will not stop there.

“As we know and is now reaffirmed by this benchmarking research, the travel and tourism sector is key for the country’s economy, underpinning much of spending and supporting millions of jobs,” said WTTC president and CEO Gloria Guevara. 

The WTTC also commends the Philippine government for recognizing the industry’s benefits. They cited their programs to help spread tourism’s benefits to other industries in the country.

The WTTC Benchmark Study looks into the travel and tourism industry’s economic impact to other sectors. At least 26 countries and 10 regions are a part of the study.

Globally, the travel and tourism sector recorded $8.8 billion for 2018 or 10.4% share of the global GDP. This record is higher than the 7.7% contribution of agriculture, 7.1% from banking, 6.8% of automotive manufacturing and 6% of mining.

The result of tourism’s continuous growth is the increase in middle-class households, consumer spending, low unemployment and visa relaxation. Employment, in particular, gained a 26.4% increase last year thanks to tourism.

WTTC estimates that 319 million jobs were opened worldwide last year thanks to tourism.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that 12.7% of the country’s GDP last year came from the tourism sector. It amounted to 2.2 trillion pesos. This is above the 2022 target of the Department of Tourism under their National Tourism Development Plan.

In light of this development, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the department will release a new target this year.

Philippines Travel Tips

For those interested in traveling to the Philippines, there’s a lot of guides available for information. In this site, we have a where to stay in Manila and Cebu guide. We also have a How to Get from Batangas to Caticlan guide.

If you are traveling by land or ferry in the Philippines, check Bookaway.

For other details, you can check out the official website of Experience Philippines and the Philippine Department of Tourism.

The post Philippines’ Travel Sectors Gets Further Recognition appeared first on Check in Price.