CLARK FREE PORT—Changi Airports International (CAI), developer and owner-operator of Singapore’s multiawarded Changi International Airport, is seriously considering developing the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in a bid to make it the Philippines’ premier gateway.

CAI vice president for strategic projects Jose V.A. Pantangco, along with a delegation of airport developers, met recently with top Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) officials led by president and chief executive Victor Jose Luciano.

Luciano briefed Pantangco and his group on the ongoing developments at the DMIA. The delegation also toured the DMIA passenger terminal and was impressed with the improvement of the facilities, especially with the expansion of the passenger terminal, and noted the airport “has the potential for growth.”

“DMIA is quite promising because we have seen a lot of improvements and the traffic is growing. It has the potential for growth and we hope we would be involved in the development of this airport,” Pantangco said.

In 2007 the DMIA registered over 533,000 domestic and international passengers, an increase from the 480,000 passengers recorded in 2006.

CIAC expects an increase in passenger volume at the DMIA from 500,000 annually to at least 2 million once the expansion of the existing terminal is completed.

CAI had earlier expressed interest to develop the DMIA as it has been declared by President Arroyo as the premier international gateway of the Philippines.

CAI is a subsidiary of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) that manages and invests in airports worldwide and has built a global portfolio of investments in airport and airport-related assets.

CAAS is the owner-operator of the Changi International Airport of Singapore that was awarded the Best Airport of the World for 20 consecutive years, making it the longest-reigning champion. The award is given by the prestigious Business Traveler Magazine based in the US.

The Changi International Airport is also the 20th-busiest airport in the world and the fifth-busiest in Asia by passenger traffic.

The DMIA is host to foreign air carriers Tiger Airways of Singapore, Air Asia of Malaysia, Asiana Airlines of South Korea and China Southern Airlines of China.

THE Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice) under the Department of Agriculture (DA) are conducting a survey of rice lands that were converted into other agricultural and nonagricultural purposes.

Despite recent pronouncements made by the government that it would step up its intervention in the domestic market to reduce the price of commercial rice, the latest monitor of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) shows that rice prices in Metro Manila continue to go up.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has improved its implementation of the $60-million Diversified Farm Income and Market Development, officials of the World Bank (WB) said.

THE Department of Energy (DOE) reported Tuesday that the country’s total oil import slightly increased last year compared with 2006 owing to the continuous surge in world oil prices.

FRENCH ambassador to the Philippines Gerard Chesnel expressed hope that the Belgian passport firm FCO will win over its lone competitor Germany’s Bundesdrukerei on the P900-million electronic-passport project set to be implemented late this year.

CLARK FREE PORT—Changi Airports International (CAI), developer and owner-operator of Singapore’s multiawarded Changi International Airport, is seriously considering developing the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in a bid to make it the Philippines’ premier gateway.