By James A. Loyola

With no challengers to its proposal, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is now ready to start building its P734-billion international airport in Bulacan.

The firm released Friday select design studies for its proposed New Manila International Airport (NMIA) which it is planning to build in Bulakan, Bulacan just north of Metro Manila.

SMC said the new, world-class international gateway that it envisions will be the best in the region and will be at no cost to the government.

The proposed gateway will have four runways, with enough space to expand to six and will be capable of handling up to 100 million passengers per year.

It will be part of a larger infrastructure ecosystem that will connect seamlessly with existing expressways and mass rail transits that will connect it to both southern and northern Luzon.

SMC said this project would be a long-term solution to the country’s airport congestion problem with the country’s main airport operating above capacity – with no space to build additional runways.

The NMIA will fuel trillions of dollars in economic activity annually for the country, bring in about 35 million tourists per year, create an estimated 30 million tourism related jobs, generate more than a million direct jobs and make lives better for the people of host province Bulacan and the rest of the nearby provinces.

SMC said the airport would be built taking into large account sustainability and energy efficient measures.

The company said that while it is still awaiting the Notice of Award from government, it is already preparing to work closely with local government units, the communities and all stakeholders of the project.

“We can assure this early that this project is designed to decongest Metro Manila,” SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang said.

He noted “It will provide more and better livelihood opportunities, not to take them away; ensure environmental balance and enhance resilience against calamities, because it’s the right thing to do.”

“In other words, we envision a brighter future for everyone, but we know what’s worth achieving isn’t necessarily easy. We will face rough waters along the way, that’s why we need everybody’s help and support to make this dream a reality,” said Ang.