One of the many facilities opened
by the Philippines from the former infrastructure of the American Clark Air Base
was an international airport. Originally serving domestic and international
flights to and from northern and Central Luzon, it was proposed to also begin
serving Metro Manila following the full expansion and congestion of NAIA. To
that end, several passenger terminals were planned with all to be completed by
2025. The first of these, constructed by a public-private partnership under the
Duterte “Build, Build, Build” program, was completed last year and should begin
operating at the end of the year. This particular terminal features several
notable facility innovations new to the country.
The Manila Bulletin reports that the soon-to-open new terminal at
Clark International Airport (IATA airport code CRK) has inclusive amenities
serving all faiths and even gender identities. This comes in the form of
gender-neutral bathrooms (indicated by half-male, half-female logos),
all-gender nursing stations, and multi-faith prayer rooms. A statement from
Vince Dizon, Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and
CEO, notes that CRK aims to present a positive atmosphere to passengers and
guests, in the form of accommodation with inclusion and respect to all.
Gender-neutral bathrooms will be
added to the default male and female rooms for the benefit of transgender
individuals and those who identify as non-binary or cis-gender. The nursing
stations and prayer rooms will also provide foot-washing facilities for
Muslims. This new terminal will also push for CRK’s direction of the “silent
airport policy,” wherein audio boarding calls are minimalized in favor of
posted visual-display announcements. The Luzon International Premier Airport
Development Corp. (LIPAD), which manages and operates CRK, holds to these two principles
of inclusivity and intuitiveness to guide them in shaping the future facilities
at the airport, such as the other planned passenger terminals.
Operation of Clark International
Airport was given over to LIPAD, a consortium formed by JG Summit Holdings,
Filinvest Development, Philippine Airport Ground Solutions, and Changi Airports
Philippines Pte back in August of 2019. Their concession to run CRK runs for 25
years. The interior of the new terminal was designed by American architectural
firm Populous with some help from Casas+Architects. It has not been specified
yet when in late 2021 the new Clark International Airport terminal will open to
passengers.
Image from CRK Official Website
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