The latest
The development of the P740-billion New Manila International Airport (NMIA) north of Metro Manila will be completed by the end of 2025. This was recently affirmed by the project developer San Miguel Corp. (SMC) in its fund-raising proposal.
From November 2023, the company intends to sell up to P65 billion worth of shares in the NMIA project. The proceedings will reportedly be used to pay debts and to support its airport ambitions. These ambitions include bankrolling the 2,500-hectare aerotropolis located approximately 28.5 aerial kilometres from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).
Through Ramon S. Ang, the company’s president, SMC also maintained that New Manila International Airport shall begin commercial operations in 2026 as planned.
Meanwhile, the overall progress at the project site has passed the halfway mark. In June 2023 the project was 68.92% complete. Site clearance, landfilling works, and ground improvement works were 98.3%, 66.59% and 66.54% completed respectively.
According to the company, its team continues to work on the airport master plan along with the critical components of the airport. San Miguel Aerocity Inc. on the other hand is working with various parties for the design, construction, and financing of other critical components of the airport.
New Manila International Airport (Bulacan International Airport) project overview
The New Manila International Airport also known as the Bulacan International Airport project involves the construction, operation & maintenance of a new modern international airport on a 2,500-hectare piece of land in the coastal areas of Bulakan, a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan in Manila, the capital of the Philippines.
Proposed by the San Miguel Corporation (SMC), one of the Philippines’ largest and most diversified conglomerates, the ₱735.634-billion airport project is part of an envisioned 12,000-hectare township that features a residential zone, government centre, seaport, and an industrial zone.
Also Read: Bugesera International Airport (BIA) project and all you need to know
The New Manila International Airport, upon completion, will feature at least four runways, which are expandable to six, passenger terminal buildings with airside and landside amenities and other airport facilities.
It will have a capacity of 200 million passengers per year, which is about six times larger than the current capacity of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the airport that is currently serving Manila and its surrounding metropolitan area.
The New Manila International Airport will be connected to Metro Manila by an airport toll road with connections to the North Luzon Expressway and Radial Road 10, and it will also be connected by rail to the MRT Line 7 through the MRT 7 Airport Express project.
New Manila International Airport project team
The contract for the design and construction of the New Manila International Airport was awarded to; ADP Ingénierie, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Groupe ADP that carries out architectural and engineering activities worldwide dealing with the design of new airports or existing airport development.
Meinhardt Group, a world-class engineering consulting firm of designers, planners, engineers, managers, architects, consultants, and technical specialists; and Jacobs Engineering Group, an engineering company that offers design, construction, consulting, and maintenance services for clients in a diverse range of industries, are also a part of the project design and construction team.
Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V., a Dutch dredging and heavy lift company that provides services relating to the construction and maintenance of maritime infrastructure internationally, was selected for the development of approximately 1700 hectares of land for the new airport.
New Manila International Airport project timeline
2017
San Miguel Corporation, in February, proposed the construction of the airport.
2018
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board approved the proposal in April 2018.
In November, Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the San Miguel Corporation to collaborate on the development and operation of the new airport.
In the following month, NEDA approved the negotiation report on the Concession Agreement (CA) regarding the project.
2019
In September, San Miguel Aerocity Inc., a unit of San Miguel Corporation was awarded a close to US$ 14bn contract to oversee the implementation of the New Manila International Airport project.
2021
In March, Arthur Tugade, the Philippines’ Department of Transportation Secretary reported that the groundbreaking ceremony of the New Manila International Airport project will take place in Q2 2021.
Mr. Tugade stated the department hopes to do a formal inauguration by April or May 2021 at the latest adding that the project is expected to be completed in four to six.
Yeah, but what happened on this airport project plan? I thought the groundbreaking will take place on August 2021. But what happened? Is there any groundbreaking ceremony that happened last August 2021?