Clark International Airport Corp. president Adelberto Yap said the total loan amounts to $11 million of which $9.34 million would be used for the radar facility and the rest for the three-year spare parts support program of the radar facility.
The loan is being guaranteed by the Philippines Export-Import Agency (Philexim).
"The DMIA is an interntional gateway and one of the requirements is it should be complete in all the navigational facilities," Yap said.
Already, ASEANA of Korea is conducting five flights a week from Clark to Seoul carrying 300 passengers per flight while the Korean Airline is expected to start commercial flights next month.
This is on top of the daily 10 flights of UPS, the world’s largest air express delivery company, which operates its intraAsian hub in Clark.
Italy’s Alenia Marconi Systems S.p.a. won the contract the right to supply two radar systems from DMIA through a competitive bidding held middle of last year. The Italian firm won the contract over two American firms, 2 Italians and one French supplier.
CDC executive vice president Victor Jose Luciano noted that the radar facility is the most expensive navigational aids facilities needed in an airport.
Luciano said the present management of the state-run corporation is doing its best to realize the transformation of DMIA as the country’s premier international airport.
With the installation of a terminal approach radar in Clark, DMIA will be transformed into one of the most competitive, safest and reliable airports not only in the country, but also throughout the Asian region, Luciano said.
Clark has been using the radar system of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for the inbound and outbound flights of Clark airport, but with the installation of the radar system it will complete the navigational aids facilities of the DMIA which has been considered as one of the vital cogs in operating a modern international airport.
Luciano said the radar project will be funded from loan secured with export credit agencies with an attached sovereign guarantee to be provided by the Philippine Export-Import Bank.
The installation of the radar ensures the safe separation of the aircraft during the transition from the departure to cruise flight or the transition from cruise flight to a landing approach.
Clark airport boats of two parallel 3.2 kilometer runway which can accommodate even the largest commercial and military aircraft in the world and has been declared Category I in the precision approached by the ICO.
