President Duterte Leads Inspection of Newly Completed Clark International Airport Terminal Building

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Saturday, July 17, led the inspection of the newly completed 110,000-square meter Clark International Airport New Passenger Terminal Building, which now awaits the green light to operate from aviation regulators.

Among the features that were unveiled and inspected by the President and other guests last Saturday were the self-check-in kiosks, bag drops, and other contactless features of the new terminal building. President Duterte was joined by Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, Department of Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat, Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO Vince Dizon, Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corporation (LIPAD) Chief Executive Officer Bi Yong Chungunco, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) officials, and private sector partners. Other officials present were former President and now Presidential Adviser on Clark Programs and Projects Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Speaker Lord Allan Jay Velasco, and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD) is at the helm of the operations and management of CRK and has promised the public that the new terminal, while being a mega project with four levels, 110,000 square meters, and 8 million passenger capacity, is a terminal of safety, ease and quiet.

Chungunco reveals that peace of mind of travelers is high in the airport’s priority. Design and processes at the terminal have this as guiding principle.

“Intuitive and inclusive – this will be our mantra for the new Clark International Airport. LIPAD designed CRK to be the airport of choice for travelers flying in or out of the Philippines. Top priority is to fulfill the mission of giving passengers a world-class travel experience, through new technologies that support a seamless process and commercial offerings that constantly cater to passengers’ needs while still maintaining that signature Filipino, and of course, Pampango experience.”, said Chungunco.

This is also what the terminal’s interiors strive for. It focuses on giving the travelers a sense of familiarity and rids itself of complexities. For travelers to be fully relaxed and at ease, the processes must not be confusing. Travelers of all kinds have varying backgrounds and such a design allows for each traveler to have that feeling of being guided through the process through the interplay of finer details, even with the protocols for safe distancing and all necessary measures to ensure passenger safety in a pandemic.

Part of this is the use of color as consistent distinctions for certain uses. In the terminal, the use of green points to international flights, while blue points to domestic flights.  

Chungunco said LIPAD takes all necessary steps to ensure that passengers, both inbound and outbound, go through strict safety measures. “LIPAD remains flexible and adaptable to the needs of travel and assures the public that Clark International Airport is steadfast in prioritizing public health and is well-equipped for it.”

The new terminal’s look takes inspiration from nearby natural formations and landscape including the vast mountain ranges of Zambales and Mt. Arayat in Pampanga. The airport’s color palette, therefore, integrated muted greens and blues with soft grays and browns, mimicking riverbeds, caves, and bodies of water such as the crater lake of Mt. Pinatubo.

The intention is clear — to make airport experience as seamless and as comfortable as possible. Clark is determined to make passage through its terminal a refreshing breeze for travelers. 

LIPAD is composed of Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings, Inc., Philippine Airport Ground Support Services, Inc., and Changi Airports Philippines (I) Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Changi Airports International.