House panel OKs bills renaming Clark Int'l Airport after Diosdado Macapagal

The House Committee on Transportation on Wednesday approved the bills seeking to rename Clark International Airport in Pampanga to Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.

With overwhelming support from stakeholders invited during the meeting, the committee approved House Bills 2274 and 8289, authored by Pampanga Representative Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales and 1-SAGIP party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta.

House Committee on Transportation approves bills seeking to rename Clark International Airport to Diosdado Macapagal International Airport. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/vgbcN76OMJ

— Erwin Colcol (@erwincolcol) October 10, 2018

Both resolutions stressed that due to the vital role of the airport in aviation and transportation, it is only proper that it is named after Macapagal, the ninth President of the Philippines, known as "the poor boy from Lubao."

Macapagal is also the father of former President and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

"[Macapagal] is a Filipino with sterling legacy and incomparable distinction as a respected leader, champion of the poor, true statesman, and a nationalist of unquestionable integrity," the explanatory note of House Bill 8289 read.

In 2001, the Board of Directors of the Clark International Airport Corporation named the airport after Macapagal.

However, in 2011, the same corporation adopted a resolution reverting the name of the airport to Clark International Airport.

The airport is now being considered as a major international gateway in the country following the Xiamen plane mishap in August that caused the temporary closure of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport runway and inconvenienced airline passengers. —KBK, GMA News