(First of 2 parts)

ONCE a desolate aviation complex with ash and other volcanic debris that were littered by an angry volcano about 10 kilometers away, the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) inside the Clark Freeport is the most promising and much-improved airport in the country today.

It is also one of the highly patronized airports that cater to budget airlines in the region, fulfilling the vision for it to become the site of the next premier gateway to the Philippines.

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DMIA, established in 2003 when it was renamed from Clark International Airport, registered only 44 flights back then. Now there are more than 2,000 passenger and cargo flights that come in and out of DMIA.

“This airport has so much not only promise but actual viability as we have proven since its utilization as a civilian commercial aviation complex in only recent few years,” said Victor Jose Luciano, president and chief executive officer of Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC).

CIAC is the implementing arm of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) that oversees airport development program for DMIA.

Passenger Arrivals

With the creation of flights came a surge in the number of domestic and international passengers in Clark.

Luciano said that on record is a noticeable steep increase in the number of passengers that were serviced at DMIA. As a former airline executive, he is widely credited in Pampanga for convincing officials of various local and regional airlines to mount flights in and out of Clark.

From a measly 7,880 passengers in 2003 when the former Clark International Airport was renamed to DMIA, the figure rose to 490,748 after five years or a dramatic 6,227 percent increase.

In DMIA, there are daily flights to and from Seoul by Asiana Airlines, Singapore by Tiger Airways, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu by Air Asia. On the other hand, Cebu Pacific – a Philippine flag carrier – has six flights per week to Hong Kong, four flights each to Macau and Singapore, and, two flights to Bangkok, Thailand.

While there was a noted decrease in visitor arrivals in January and February this year, DMIA still posted a 22 percent increase in the international passenger volume from January to June 2009 compared to same period of last year.

“DMIA is the only Philippine airport that posted positive growth rate this year in terms of international passenger movement,” Luciano said.

“This was made even in view of the global economic crisis and the A H1N1 virus,” he added.

On the domestic side, DMIA services airlines have flights to the south. Cebu Pacific has four Cebu-Clark-Cebu flights per week while SEAIR and Zest Air caters to Boracay-bound passengers with their 12 flights per week and two flights per week to Caticlan, respectively.

In 2007, DMIA welcomed its one millionth passenger from Seoul who flew in via Asiana Airlines, the second flag carrier of South Korea. Asiana has 11 flights per week between Incheon International Airport and DMIA and vice versa. This particular flight services thousands of Filipinos in the US as it has onward connections to New York in the East Coast, Los Angeles and San Francisco on the west.

Luciano said that at the rate flights and passengers arrive in Clark, DMIA will soon have its three millionth passenger as the airport continues to receive international passengers.

Vision

DMIA plays a key role in making Clark and Subic a world-class logistics hub.

No less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has underscored the role of the two former US military bases in spurring the national economy. In her 2005 State of The Nation Address (Sona), Arroyo said that the Subic-Clark corridor will be developed as a premier international service and logistics center in Southeast Asia.

In her subsequent SONAs, the President reiterated this objective in her BEAT-THE-ODDS development program with the “DS” in the acronym’s latter part representing the development of Subic and Clark in the 10-point agenda of the Arroyo Administration.

This endeavor has always been expected of the President as DMIA was named after his father and late President Diosdado P. Macapagal. Observers say that Mrs. Arroyo has to pursue the total development of the Clark airport as doing so would not only form part of her legacy but would also bring true honor to her father.

During the time of Fidel V. Ramos as president, the national leadership has plotted the blueprint for DMIA as Executive Order 174 was issued in 1994 that designates Clark as the “future site of the country’s premier international gateway.”

In fulfilling this goal, Luciano said that CIAC has reformulated its vision statement for DMIA: “To be the Most Competitive International Service and Logistics Center in the Asia-Pacific Region and the premier International Gateway Airport of the Philippines.”

Already, this has brought dividends for DMIA and its operators.

In 2008, DMIA was conferred “Airport of the Year” award by Frost and Sullivan -- a leading research company in the world with over 26 global offices that covers the aerospace and defense markets. It has given the same award to Singapore’s Changi Airport in the 15 million passenger capacity.

The award came only a year after receiving “Low Cost Airport of the Year” award from Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.