Philippine President Breaks Ground for MRO Facility

Section: Business News - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo today led the groundbreaking rites of the $ 100-million maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at the 2,500 hectare Clark Civil Aviation Complex that would service long-haul airlines in the world.

Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano said that President Arroyo was grateful to see the first ever world-class MRO to be set up inside the airport complex.

The President told me that she was very happy and grateful and that she wanted this project to be set up at Clark as this is her dream in making the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport as the leading service and logistics hub in the world, Luciano said during the groundbreaking rites.

This is what she wants (President Arroyo), she really wants this project, he added.

Mrs. Arroyo arrived here around about 1:30 p.m. and led officials of the CIAC headed by Luciano, SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC) led by President & CEO William Tan and Cebu Pacific Air president & CEO Lance Gokongwei to the groundbreaking and capsule laying of the multi-million dollar project which is expected to be completed by mid-2009.

This is one of the main components of the vision to make Clark a leading aviation service hub for the Asia Pacific Region, this is the maintenance facility for commercial aircraft, Luciano said.

He said the project is the second base of SIA Engineering and their main hub is in Singapore. The SIAEC decided to put up another hub in the country that will eventually have five big hangars to service long-haul commercial aircraft.

Clark Development Corporation president Benigno Ricafort also congratulated CIAC, SIAEC and Cebu Pacific as this will generate more jobs in Clark and boost the economy of the free port zone.

William Tan, president and CEO of SIAEC, said that they are projecting some 1,000 job opportunities to be generated by the project, including 10,000 indirect jobs.

The MRO facility will service long-haul commercial aircraft and is expected to further improve services at the DMIA which is being pump-primed as the next premier gateway of the Philippines.

The MRO fulfills the vision of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to make Clark a leading world-class service hub in the Asia Pacific Region, Luciano said.

For his part, Gokongwei said we are positive that a world-class MRO facility at Clark will further enhance aerospace into the Philippines. With SIA Engineering Company's MRO proficiency, we will certainly develop the local talent pool of aerospace management and engineering personnel. In addition, a heavy maintenance facility in the Philippines will significantly enhance Cebu Pacific Air's desptach reliability and engineering quality.

SIA Engineering (Philippines) Corporation is 65 percent owned by the SIAEC with Cebu Pacific Air owning a 35-percent stake.

A part of the Singapore Airlines Group, SIAEC provides maintenance services for the more than 60 international carriers operating at Singapore's Changi International Airport, including airframe and component overhaul on some of the most advanced, widely-used commercial aircraft in the world.

SIAEC's line maintenance support extends to more than 40 airports such as Australia, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

It services at least 80 international carriers and aerospace equipment manufacturers. It has 20 certifications from airworthiness authorities around the world with six hangars and 22 in-house workshops in Singapore which provide complete MRO services in airframe, component, engine, aircraft conversions and modifications for major airlines from four continents. - PNA