CLARK FREEPORT (CIAC-CCO, February 7)—An executive of the government-run Clark International Airport Corp. on Monday confirmed the agency’s reorganization plan as it marks 26 years of managing the Clark civil aviation complex.
“We’re commemorating CIAC’s 26th anniversary today and it is but an opportune time to reorganize and sharpen our execution to further develop prime government lands of the aviation complex and contribute to the national economy,” Aaron Aquino, CIAC president, said.
The reorganiza
tion plan was approved on October 28, 2019 by the agency’s board of directors, headed by its chairman, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.
From the original 335 employees, 120 personnel remained at CIAC after the operations and maintenance of the Clark International Airport were privatized in August 2019, leaving CIAC’s major functions to include lease of land, structures, and spaces for potential investors and businesses involving aviation, aviation-related services, and aviation-related logistics activities.
Former President and now Presidential Adviser on Clark Flagship Projects Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in a meeting with Aquino late last year, advised the CIAC to shift from a mere real estate developer to “being the most competitive service and logistics center in the Southeast Asian region.”
CIAC’s streamlining is expected to strengthen the agency’s commercial, engineering and corporate management teams in developing a globally-competitive aviation complex surrounding the airport and in pushing for the service and logistics center vision, Aquino noted.
The reorganization plan is awaiting endorsement from the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, CIAC’s parent company, and the Department of Transportation which exercises policy and operational supervision over CIAC, before being submitted for final approval by the Government Commission for Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations.
“As the world continues to adjust to the pandemic economy, the (reorganization) plan will set into motion our blueprint—to further align the organization with our strategic direction aimed at airport infrastructure and aviation complex development, technological deployment, and the adaptation to the new normal,” Aquino said.
“The current pandemic may not be an opportune time to say all these but, again, the situation won’t deter us in saying we’re looking forward to future investments and that our energies and resources at CIAC are fixed on bouncing back better, creating an investment haven and a great place at the aviation complex to do business,” Aquino said during simple anniversary rites held via Zoom at the agency’s office building in commending employees with service period ranging from 10 to 25 years.
CIAC was incorporated in 1994 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Clark Development Corporation, pursuant to Executive Order No. 192, with the primary purpose of operating and managing the Clark Civil Aviation Complex.
After subsequent executive orders in the past, CIAC was later transformed in 2008 from a subsidiary of CDC to a subsidiary of BCDA and made subject to the policy supervision of DOTr under EO No. 716 which provides that CIAC shall exercise jurisdiction over the 2,200-hectare aviation complex along with approximately 166.9 has. within the Clark Industrial Estate 5.
