THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) is aiming to reopen Clark International Airport today (Wednesday), after the terminal sustained damage after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit Luzon Monday afternoon.
“Based on the analysis and evaluation of our tech people, at the earliest we will operate tomorrow (Wednesday), at the latest we will operate on Thursday,” Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said in a televised media briefing.
Mr. Tugade estimated the airport sustained around P30 million worth of damage.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit parts of Luzon Monday afternoon, damaging the Clark airport and prompting the temporary suspension of its operations.
In a statement, Clark International Airport Corp. said its assessment found airport facilities such as the tower, apron, runways and taxiways “structurally sound.”
“The good news is that the tower can be operated, there was no substantial damage. Wala ring problema sa road surface ng [There are also no problems on the road surface of the] airports,” CIAC President Jaime Alberto C. Melo was quoted as saying.
CIAC said more than 12,000 passengers from 115 international and domestic flights were affected by the closure of the Clark airport until 7:40 p.m. Tuesday.
While the government is yet to confirm when the airport will resume operations, local carriers Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines already announced cancellation of flights to and from Clark scheduled Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said the new passenger terminal currently being built at the Clark aiport was not affected by the earthquake, and construction was able to resume Tuesday.
The new terminal building is on track to be completed by mid-2020. — Denise A. Valdez
