The Philippine Online Chronicles

The Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is needing potential foreign partners to jointly finance multibillion-peso airport and railroad projects in Clark, Pampanga.

This will involve construction of a second terminal at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) and of a modern rail transit system connecting the Angeles City airport to Manila.

MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said that the firm is eyeing joint ventures with foreign investors in order to finish and operate the sizable projects.

"We need foreign partners for this project. Because basically, there is no one in this country who has built or run a big airport as big as this," Philippine Star quoted Pangilinan.

Pangilinan is also open for a joint partnership with local firm San Miguel Corp. (SMC) for its Clark project. However, talks between MPIC and SMC have not yet resumed this year.

"We are also open to have a partnership with San Miguel. We have already talked last year," the news agency quoted Pangilinan.

Meanwhile, BusinessWorld reported that MPIC has forged parnership with a Spanish firm which will plan the design and engineering of the project.

Indra Philippines, an affiliate of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) in which Pangilinan also has an interest, is conducting a feasibility study for DMIA's redevelopment.

"A team was sent to the area to conduct the study three weeks ago. It will take a few months. But definitely, the team will finish the study within the year," the report quoted Pangilinan.

Pangilinan said that the venture between MPIC and Indra, an international firm based in Spain's capital Madrid, will need more foreign partners owing to the project's size.

MPIC is also reportedly conducting talks with foreign firms which are interested in the airport business in the region.

Pangilinan said that the airport in Clark will be having a "railway that would connect it to Metro Manila." He had earlier pointed out that a train system is needed in order for DMIA to attract more foreign carriers. "The Philippines is the only country which still does not have an airport express service," he noted.

Presently, DMIA has budget carriers operating within its perimeters, such as Tiger Airways (Singapore), Air Asia (Malaysia), (Asiana Airlines and Jin Air (Korea), South East Asian Airlines, and Spirit of Manila Airlines.

The Clark airport is expecting its international passenger traffic to increase. It saw 607,704 international passengers last year, and is expecting a total of 1 million international passengers by the end of 2011.

An airport official said that DMIA is likely to hit 3.7 million annual international departures and arrivals by 2015.