Group wants Clark airport chief ousted

ANGELES CITY – A Central Luzon-based advocacy group pushing for the full-development of the Clark Freeport, particularly its stunted civil aviation complex has called for the ouster of Clark International Airport Corp. president Victor Jose I. Luciano.

The call for the immediate resignation of Luciano by the PinoyGumising Ka Movement chaired by businessman RupertoCruz, came in the wake of recent newspaper reports that announced the P1-billion loan recently obtained by the CIAC reportedly to accommodate expansion operations of two airlines by March and some 1.7 million passengers this year.

On Tuesday, Luciano signed a contract with Land Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Gilda Pico for the release of the P1-billion loan.

But Cruz lashed at Luciano’s move saying the CIAC president “is only very good in self-projections but a failure in delivering promises.”

“Ever since Luciano took the helm of the CIAC, he did nothing but announced many empty promises,” Cruz stressed, as he cited short-lived or terminated flights like those of Spirit of Manila, Zest Air, Asian Spirit, and even flights to the Middle East and New Zealand.

Cruz revealed that the PGKM is wary of Luciano’s “real intentions” with his P1-billion loan. “We are worried that the money acquired by Luciano could be used to pursue Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas’s 2016 presidential ambitions,” he said.

The PGKM chair, likewise, lashed at Roxas saying that he (Roxas) and Luciano are both reluctant in pushing for the full development of the Clark International Airport. “Katuladni Luciano, puro drawing langsi Roxas,” Cruz said, referring to Roxas’s pronouncements last year that the administration of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III is keen in making the Clark airport as the country’s next premier international gateway.

But last month, Roxas led an ocular inspection at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) where P1.16-billion was released to refurbish what local and international tourists referred to as the “worst international airport.”

“Can you blame the people for doubting Roxas’s real intentions? Here you have a transportation secretary who is eyeing the presidency and all he did was backtrack from his pronouncements to develop the Clark airport. These are all just empty promises from the government,” Cruz said.
Cruz lamented that both Roxas and Luciano’s vision for the Clark International Airport lack a “holistic approach.”

“Roxas himself has pointed to the need of a rail system for an international airport, yet that is nowhere in any announced plan and program for the Clark airport,” Crus said, thereby casting doubts on the sincerity of the Aquino administration on its bid to develop Clark.

The PGKM chair said if both Luciano and Roxas are sincere in developing Clark’s aviation complex, “Then they must at least present to investors and stakeholders a master development plan, which must be congruent to what is being implemented right now at the airport.”

Cruz was referring to the more than P300-million passenger terminal, which he described as “white elephant” and “overpriced bus stop.” He said despite the amount used to build a new passenger terminal and to purchase brand new aerobridges, passengers at the Clark International Airport are still asked to use the old terminal and worn-out alleyways made out of plywood to walk the distance to the planes “under the hot sun or the rains.”

“For all the exorbitant terminal fees at the Clark airport, passengers still have to suffer all inconveniences to catch their flight,” Cruz said.

Only recently, Luciano issued a statement saying the loan will also be used to improve other support infrastructure facilities such as the navigational equipment vital for the operations of the airport. The remaining funds would be utilized for CIAC’s working capital.

The P1-billion loan will also be used for the expansion of the Phase II of the passenger terminal to meet the demands of passenger growth due to the increase of international and domestic flights this year.

Luciano said that CIAC will start on March 5 the bidding of the Phase II expansion of the P360-million passenger terminal that would further accommodate the growing number of passengers at the airport.

Reacting to Luciano’s statement, Cruz said “Just like David Copperfield, Luciano is a master of illusions. He can give Copperfield a run for his money and his magic. We can only believe Luciano’s word if they are backed with concrete results.” – Punto Central Luzon