6 June 2019
Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is all set to construct the new US$10 billion Manila International airport in Bulacan by fourth quarter of this year after it is awarded concession agreement by the government on July 31, 2019.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has issued tenders to the public on April 12, 2019 to submit bids under a Swiss challenge bidding process, comparative proposals to finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain the project under a 50-year concession period, made by San Miguel Corp. to build New Manila International Airport in Bulacan in the amount of 735.6 Billion Pesos.
SMC President Ramon Ang said Wednesday that they already set aside 100 Billion pesos to begin laying the ground works by raising 2,500 hectares of land for the airport at the end of the year and build the two parallel runways to be completed in three years time.
Also set for construction next year is the main terminal building boasting 60 boarding gates and 20 remotes that can hold and accommodate 35 million passengers per annum under Phase 1 of the airport project which is expected to be fully completed in seven year time frame.
Ang said they already entered Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with airport operator Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) that will work together with SMC in designing and running the airport.
SMC also entered another MOU to an undisclosed airline that shall relocate to the airport after it partly opens to the public in 2024. It expects 20 million passengers to use the airport on its opening date.
San Miguel also confirmed plans to spend additional US$5 billion for the construction of airport express train all the way to EDSA after airlines requested said service as conditions for their relocation, in addition to the expressway that will be constructed. The planned train system will span some 20 kilometers. SMC undertook to build an expressway that will link its airport to the North Luzon Expressway in Marilao, Bulacan and the coastal expressway linking Navotas to Manila.
The express train is not part of the proposal submitted by SMC to NEDA but was added to the project after talks with airline partner. They are also submitted to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for consideration and approval.
Ang said the express train would translate to travel time of only 15 minutes from EDSA to Bulacan and 1 hour to Makati by Expressway through the north-south connector.
SMC has likewise submitted to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) a P10-billion proposal to redevelop the Pandacan oil depot into a bus and food terminal complex (FT) hub that will divert all provincial buses from the North to enter Manila through the skyway and terminate services in Pandacan, Manila.
“The airport train and the mega-bus terminal is integrated project with the airport,” says Ramon Ang.
“ We have submitted the proposal to Transportation Secretary Tugade, were in discussion with him, we’ve consulted with him, and we have both come up with good ideas how to help the public transport to be better,” he said.
New Manila International Airport is projected to handle 100 million passengers per annum by 2050.
Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is all set to construct the new US$10 billion Manila International airport in Bulacan by fourth quarter of this year after it is awarded concession agreement by the government on July 31, 2019.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has issued tenders to the public on April 12, 2019 to submit bids under a Swiss challenge bidding process, comparative proposals to finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain the project under a 50-year concession period, made by San Miguel Corp. to build New Manila International Airport in Bulacan in the amount of 735.6 Billion Pesos.
SMC President Ramon Ang said Wednesday that they already set aside 100 Billion pesos to begin laying the ground works by raising 2,500 hectares of land for the airport at the end of the year and build the two parallel runways to be completed in three years time.
Also set for construction next year is the main terminal building boasting 60 boarding gates and 20 remotes that can hold and accommodate 35 million passengers per annum under Phase 1 of the airport project which is expected to be fully completed in seven year time frame.
Ang said they already entered Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with airport operator Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) that will work together with SMC in designing and running the airport.
SMC also entered another MOU to an undisclosed airline that shall relocate to the airport after it partly opens to the public in 2024. It expects 20 million passengers to use the airport on its opening date.
San Miguel also confirmed plans to spend additional US$5 billion for the construction of airport express train all the way to EDSA after airlines requested said service as conditions for their relocation, in addition to the expressway that will be constructed. The planned train system will span some 20 kilometers. SMC undertook to build an expressway that will link its airport to the North Luzon Expressway in Marilao, Bulacan and the coastal expressway linking Navotas to Manila.
The express train is not part of the proposal submitted by SMC to NEDA but was added to the project after talks with airline partner. They are also submitted to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for consideration and approval.
Ang said the express train would translate to travel time of only 15 minutes from EDSA to Bulacan and 1 hour to Makati by Expressway through the north-south connector.
SMC has likewise submitted to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) a P10-billion proposal to redevelop the Pandacan oil depot into a bus and food terminal complex (FT) hub that will divert all provincial buses from the North to enter Manila through the skyway and terminate services in Pandacan, Manila.
“The airport train and the mega-bus terminal is integrated project with the airport,” says Ramon Ang.
“ We have submitted the proposal to Transportation Secretary Tugade, were in discussion with him, we’ve consulted with him, and we have both come up with good ideas how to help the public transport to be better,” he said.
New Manila International Airport is projected to handle 100 million passengers per annum by 2050.
Will the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) be part of the Pocket Open Skies? Example ASA between Australia & PH only limits a certain number of seats from NAIA or Clark to 4 Australian big cities. So NMIA originating flights can technically fly unlimited seats to all Australian cities, unless ASA is updated? https://philippines.embassy.gov.au/mnla/medrel090324.html
ReplyDeleteNMIA is not yet part of any ASA. But it will fall in any "other airport" clause.
ReplyDeleteI bet that undisclosed airline is PAL. IMHO there is no need to build a separate Airport Express train line that will be handled by SMC because there is already ongoing construction of PNR NSCR Manila-Clark line, the first phase of which is Tutuban-Malolos section which is already in full swing. ADB has also offered financing for Malolos-CRK section and Solis-Blumentritt section. Coaches that will be purchased will be 13 sets of 8-car commuter trains and 7 sets of Airport Express trains. So initially, the Airport Express trains will terminate only at Blumentritt station, but will later be extended to Buendia and FTI stations. There is an opportunity for PNR NSCR to create a spur line from Marilao station to NMIA. I think Sec. Tugade is prudent enough to see this opportunity to expand PNR NSCR instead. Or an alternative maybe is for SMC to purchase its own Airport trains and use the tracks of PNR NSCR and pay them trackage fee. This is being done by other airports like NRT where private rail operators use the JR tracks. In fact, PNR and ICTSI have also done this before. Along the stretch of C.M. Recto extension, there used to be a railway track in the middle. ICTSI purchased its own freight train and used the PNR tracks to ship containers from Manila North Harbour to its facility in Calamba, Laguna. ICTSI was then paying PNR trackage fee. Operations started in 1998 but terminated in 2003 for undetermined reasons.
ReplyDeleteAs for the vacated Pandacan Oil Depot, there will be conflict here since new Manila Mayor Isko Moreno wants this to be converted into a business district instead. But if I'm not mistaken the land is still owned by SMC. Again, another opportunity here is to have the terminus of the upcoming PNR South Longhaul project (Manila-Sorsogon line) to be place here for seamless connection to the planned bus and food terminal complex. And if possible, the Airport Express train line could also be connected here. It will essentially be another PITX and TITX. I'm a firm believer that airlines, trains and buses should not necessarily compete with each other, rather they should complement each other. Imagine having landed at NMIA, you'll just take an Airport Express train to Pandacan, and then catch a Bicol Express train to Legazpi or Sorsogon. PNR General Manager Jun Magno is actually confident that the new PNR South Longhaul Manila-Sorsogon line will enable trains up to 160kph and will even be competitive with airlines; Manila to Legazpi in just 4.5 hours and Manila to Sorsogon in 5 hours.
There is no railway line to NMIA. The airline is adamant about the express train to have their business. After all they will be bringing 18 million or so of their passengers there. We are of the opinion that this Airport express train is separate from NSCR and would connect NMIA to EDSA via Balintawak and NLEX. Phase 1 of this train appears to stop at either NSCR-Bocaue or Marilao station while the rest of it will be constructed in seven years time all the way to Balintawak. Ang said the train journey from EDSA would only take 15 minutes and the 20km line makes sense along these route. These are all of course subject to DOTr approval as they have not been in the mass transport plans of the agency. In fact the airport just came into being only 3 years ago. Alternatively, SMC would just build the spur line as part of the airport component but operated still by PNR and like you said lease the line from them. While these are all speculations, the train line isn't as SMC business depends upon it.
DeleteWhat's the likelihood right now of Bulacan Airport becoming a reality? Is it almost certain?
ReplyDeleteDo we really need a new airport? can't we just improve CRK?
ReplyDeleteThe government is improving not just Clark but Sangley as well. They also approved construction of Bulacan Airport. So yes, we need airports badly.
DeleteMy guess is we are going the London route of having multiple airport options. Hence the simultaneous development of new airports.
ReplyDeleteIf I were in charge, I would probably assign things like this.
Clark-Secondary International Hub, Cargo Hub, Main Government airport once the transfer of the Executive department to New Clark City is complete
Bulacan- Primary International Airline hub, Secondary Local Airline hub for International Flights
NAIA-Primary local airline hub and primary low cost carrier hub
*T1-All low cost carriers
*T2-PAL and PAL Exp hub
*T3-CebPac hub
*T4- Could be converted as another campus of PhilSCA or as a retail center
Sangley-Secondary Low cost carrier hub ,Exclusive Charter hub, and Exclusive hub for POGO arrivals and departures (they should really consider the last bit for natl security and convenience purposes)
In addition, if SMC indeed goes express rail on Bulacan, they should consider extending that rail line to MOA and PITX and connect it somehow to an NSCR station, preferably Bocaue, then go to their SJDM MRT-7 terminal via Phil. Arena. With NAIA eventually connected to PITD by the Subway Line 9, we could theoretically go from NAIA (subway), to NMIA (airport rail via PITX), to Clark (via NSCR) in one smooth swoop if this is followed. Only Sangley remains unconnected, though they should also consider an express rail line from Sangley to POGO island to LRT-1 Ext in Niog, Bacoor to make everything somehow connected, since LRT 1 Ext also stops in PITX.
Subic becomes the main diversion airport.
When it comes to public transport and connecting major airports to a Metropolitan area I suggest the DOTr (and SMC) should take a closer look at how Germany has done it, i.e. in Cologne/Bonn, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt Airport.
ReplyDeleteCologne/Bonn is connected to Frankfurt via a high speed railroad (Inter City Express "ICE", traveling at up to 320km/h, connecting the 200km apart large cities in under 1 hour), medium speed trains (Inter City "IC" & Regional Express "RE" up to 160km/h, connecting smaller cities) and local trains (Regional Train "RB" & S-Bahn up to 140km/h, connecting major subway stations and suburbs). These allow for easy travel between major Cities & major Airports, decongesting the roads and cutting travel times significantly.
A similar system would significantly improve Greater Manila - especially if high or medium speed rails were built for connecting North and South Luzon, with the potential to continuously expand the network to Cebu and Davao over time.
The benefits would be gigantic, especially if the railways are electrified.
1. It would significantly increase the countries productivity - less time spent on the road, more time to work and rest. More rest = less stress and even higher productivity.
2. Cut logistics cost and time and significantly reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions
3. Move domestic freight much more efficiently, thus decongesting major ports
4. Self-sustainable jobs in the rail and logistics network
5. Electric trains + less cars and trucks on the streets = less Greenhouse Gas emissions
6. Less cars = roads degradation will become much less, so cost to maintain infrastructure will be lower
7. Much better accessibility for tourists will boost the tourism industry and give areas that are connected to the rail a chance to profit from tourism.
8. A lot less domestic flights will be needed for small and medium distance travel - reducing the Greenhouse Gas emissions, decongesting the Sky over the Philippines and allowing a far more sustainable mode of transportation.
9. Significantly reduce the amount of traffic accidents, as railways are a lot safer than Busses, Cars and Motorcycles.
10. Decongesting Metro Manila, as with short travel times, more people would move out of the city to cheaper suburbs - allowing Metro Manila to allocate space to public parks and recreational areas, that are currently competing against desperately needed housing and office space.
11. More businesses will be created outside of Metro Manila, as shorter travel time allows businesses outside of Metro Manila to also profit from the connection to other businesses, logistics and employees.
12. Leisure travel, visiting Families and Friends will become much easier, cheaper and will consume far less time, bringing mobility to a large amount of people who were previously lacking this opportunity.
This will lead to extraordinary economic benefits, while being sustainable at the same time. Usually economic growth comes at a high price - pollution. Using electric trains will actually do the opposite.
Of course this will have to go hand in hand with the development of more sustainable energy sources. But as demand will gradually increase with the expansion of the system, so will the supply. And adding a high speed railroad will allow the construction of (Renewable power plants) in more remote areas.
And a last thought: The railway should be on a different level than the roads, so they do not interfere with one another. And to reduce noise, improve the optical design and further improve the carbon footprint, the European solution would be a good way - railroad tracks built on embankments, where trees are planted.
@All , very nice information shared. My only suggestion is to connect NMIA, NAIA 1 2 and 3 by train.
ReplyDeleteThey will be connected in the next 10 years
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