SMC vows to complete Bulacan airport project

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is committed to complete its massive aerocity development in Bulacan province, as well as the P740-billion New Manila International Airport (NMIA) project to help boost the country’s economic recovery from the pandemic.

SMC president and chief executive officer Ramon Ang said the projects, which will be fully-funded by the company with no guarantees or subsidies from the government, would improve the lives of more Filipinos by boosting various industries and creating millions of quality jobs nationwide.

SMC’s 2,500-hectare NMIA project will initially feature four parallel runways, a world class terminal, and a modern and interlinked infrastructure network that includes expressways and railways.

“While we need to fast-track the completion of this airport and aerocity to help ease travel congestion and aid in the country’s recovery, with more jobs and opportunities for more Filipinos, we are mindful that we need to do this the right way and with a vision for a sustainable future. That is why we tapped Architect Felino Palafox Jr. for this project,” Ang said.

SMC has bared a conceptual master plan for its massive aerocity development in Bulacan province, which is designed by architecture firm Palafox Associates.

The project, which is designed and will be built with sustainability in mind, is seen complementing the NMIA project, according to SMC.

Ang said the project’s designs reflect the vision of a modern Philippine city that provides built-in solutions to various socio-economic, environmental, and climate issues while also correcting the mistakes seen in many urban developments of Metro Manila.

“These designs presented to us by Arch. Palafox and his team will be close to actual. There will probably be some adjustments by the time we implement, and we will still continue to improve as needed, but in terms of the overall concept, design, and the features, this is it,” Ang said.

“We had the same vision that the airport and aerocity projects should be sustainably built, geared toward the future, and address social and environmental concerns that have beset our existing cities, including the country’s major financial districts. With Architect Palafox’s help, all of this can be done,” he said.

As an urban planner, Palafox has advocated and implemented some 1,700 projects that integrate the best practices in green, sustainable, and disaster-resilient architecture in about 45 countries worldwide.

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The article was originally published in PhilStar Global and written by Richmond Mercurio.