For the longest time, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), had been the central entry and exit point to Manila for air travelers in the Philippines which resulted in problematic air traffic and runway congestions. Envisioning the need for an increased and well-structured aviation facility available in the country, San Miguel Corporation (SMC), one of the most renowned groups of companies in the Philippines, proposed the development of the new Bulacan International Airport.
The company unveiled a conceptual master plan for its vast aero development in Bulacan designed by a distinguished architecture firm, Palafox Associates. According to Mr. Ramon Ang, San Miguel Corporation Chief Executive Officer and President, the designs of the Bulacan International Airport aim to convey the aspiration for urbanized and well-developed cities in the country by generating established solutions to a wide range of issues such as socioeconomic and environmental concerns. Moreover, this development aims to resolve common problems seen in a lot of urban development especially those in Metro Manila.
Last April 2018, the government’s National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) granted the development of the proposed aviation project as part of the premier infrastructure plan of the Duterte administration which is called the Build! Build! Build! (BBB) Program. The Philippine government, under the law Republic Act No. 11506, authorizes the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) subsidiary a fifty (50) year concession to design, cultivate, define, manage, and establish the domestic and international airport in Bulakan, Bulacan, and a surrounding Airport City.
Bulacan International Airport, which may also be referred to as New Manila International Airport, was supposed to break ground in December 2019 or January 2020, but was delayed for a variety of reasons. Finally, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) gave the green light to begin construction in February 2020. Following the Dutch government’s approval of an Export Credit Insurance (ECI) for the project’s land development phase, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) received its strongest support yet for its aero project in Bulacan. The approval follows a year of strict management of the project’s long-term environmental and social impact preventive measures to ensure that the multibillion-dollar project is done with respect to sustainable development in mind and is in accordance with the country’s vision and aspirations.
Although this capital development project is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2024, some of its pre-construction ventures as of April 30, 2022, are:
● Devising a Detailed Engineering Design
● Appropriation on Right-of-Way (ROW)
● A 13.90% landfilling and 84.88% site clearance on land development
● Acquisition of an Independent Certification Engineer
What Will the New Bulacan International Airport Bring to The Filipino People?
1. The project will generate a lot of jobs for the Filipinos
With the goal of boosting the country’s economic recovery from the COVID19 pandemic, it is expected that the construction of the Bulacan International Airport will be equipped with transportation, telecommunications, and other supporting facilities to entice credible and fruitful investment opportunities, transmission industries, which will serve as job opportunities. This will then generate over a million direct and indirect jobs for Filipinos, many of whom have lost their livelihood as a result of the pandemic, which has resulted in the country’s worst economic performance since World War II. Furthermore, we can expect an improvement in the local economies of Bulacan and its nearby provinces alongside boosting the country’s competence and profile as an investment and tourist destination. The jobs will be generated not only by the airport project but also by major rail and road network projects that will be integrated into the airport to provide seamless travel throughout the country and spur economic development in other areas.
2. The project will feature sophisticated and world-class amenities
With a whopping budget of ₱740 billion, Bulacan International Airport is planned to be developed on a 2,500-hectare coastal property as part of a 12,000-hectare city that will include a seaport, airfield facilities, government center, airport, and airline support facilities, industrial and a residential zone, terminal building, access roads, parking facilities, utilities, and other necessary airport facilities. The project entails the development, execution, and preservation of a new modern airport in Luzon with a maximum capacity of 200 million passengers per year, three times that of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which will include four parallel runways, a world-class terminal, and a modern, interconnected infrastructure network that includes expressways and railways. In addition, with a high projected passenger capacity per year, the massive airport would be able to not only meet demand but also implement new virus-prevention protocols.
3. The project will ensure accessibility for travelers at any entry point in Metro Manila
Bulacan International Airport is situated thirty-five (35) kilometers north of Manila within the province of Bulakan, Bulacan, and just twenty-seven (27) kilometers away from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). With the presence of multiple expressways in Metro Manila and Luzon provinces, it is estimated that travelers will reach this place within forty-five (45) minutes or less of travel time. Furthermore, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) reported that the new airport will also include an 8.4-kilometer tollway connecting it to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Marilao, Bulacan. The country is highly reliant on tourism, hence, improved infrastructures are required to attract more travelers and tourists once the pandemic has passed. San Miguel Aerocity, Inc. is expected to generate 9 percent of GDP in ten years.
Without a doubt, the government’s current infrastructure program is truly remarkable and noble in Philippine history. The projects that have been completed, as well as those that are currently underway, will undoubtedly shape how our country will flourish in the years ahead. Housing property developers are beginning to recognize Bulacan’s potential as the next big real estate investment opportunity. This is due in part to its close vicinity to Metro Manila which is just 20 kilometers north of the capital region and the major infrastructure projects, such as MRT-7 and the Bulacan International Airport, which are set to reshape the city’s residential terrain. Evidently, Bulacan’s condominium stock increased by 129 percent to 2,231 units at the end of 2021 which is an increase of up to 973 units developed in the year 2020. Due to continuous trend and demand from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and investors, it is highly plausible that residential developers will complete more projects in the coming years. From 2022 to 2024, it is anticipated that there will be a delivery of approximately 1,130 units, which is significantly greater than the 664 units completed from 2017 to 2019.
The Bulacan International Airport is truly a promising and sophisticated project in the Philippines. If you have plans of purchasing an affordable house and lot or condominium unit within the Bulacan ecozone, BRIA Homes is the best place to start! BRIA Homes primes itself on the development of affordable house and lot packages and easy-on-the-pocket condominium units that caters to ordinary Filipino families who aspire to acquire their own homes. It had become the perfect choice for average Filipino workers who wanted to invest in a home that is both high quality and affordable. BRIA Homes house and lot projects and developments in Bulacan can be found in municipalities of San Jose del Monte, Sta Maria, Norzagaray, and Plaridel.
Written by MC Sanche
