New Manila International Airport in Bulacan to Start Construction in 2026
It's set to become the biggest airport in the Philippines.
(SPOT.ph) After years of waiting (and wondering if it would ever really happen), the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) in Bulacan is finally about to enter the construction phase.
DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed that San Miguel Aerocity Inc. (SMAI), the proponent of the project, has committed to starting terminal construction in January 2026. Phase 1 of the massive project could be operational by late 2028—that is, if we assume no further delays.
“Completion of Phase 1, which will enable the airport to accommodate 35 million passengers per annum, remains to be November 2028,” Dizon told The Philippine STAR. “Operations will start right after that.”
SMAI of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) holds a 50-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) concession to finance, build, and run the airport in Bulakan, Bulacan—a 2,500-hectare site about 35 kilometers north of Metro Manila.
Also read: Here's What the New International Airport in Bulacan Will Look Like
What to expect at the New Manila International Airport
Phase 1 of the airport includes an impressive 350,000-square-meter terminal with five wings and 240 boarding gates, alongside four parallel runways. The target capacity for this phase is 35 million passengers per year, eventually rising to 100 million upon completion.
NMIA is intended to decongest the aging Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), which continues to operate beyond 50% of its original capacity.
Connectivity is also a key part of the airport’s plan. A toll road will directly connect NMIA to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), making it easier for vehicles to reach the site. There are also long-term plans to extend the MRT-7 to the airport, as well as build a new 19-kilometer expressway called Northern Access Link Expressway (NALEX), which will link the airport to Skyway Stage 3.
What caused the delay of the New Manila International Airport?
NMIA's passenger terminal was initially slated to be operational by 2027, but delays in land development have set things back. Is anyone surprised at this point?
According to SMC CEO Ramon Ang, SMAI struggled to acquire fill sand for land preparation after a 2023 presidential order suspended all reclamation projects in Manila Bay. Although NMIA is not a reclamation project, the order disrupted supply chains for key construction materials.
The delay has since cost SMAI “hundreds of millions of dollars” on top of NMIA's original budget of P735 billion.
Also read: LOOK: Plans for the Bulacan Airport Include a Stunning Green City