CLARK (PIA) -- The newly completed passenger terminal building of Clark International Airport is filled with pioneering features.

“When we say we have a world-class passenger terminal. It is a facility that is filled with pioneering and really very historical features,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said during Saturday’s inspection of the facility which was led by President Rodrigo Duterte.

It is a pioneer in being a contactless airport. These include contactless baggage handling, as well as contactless passenger check-in and check-out. Even contactless ordering of food in restaurants will be implemented.

“Like other airports, we have in this new terminal a Heroes Lounge for the military, police and other uniformed personnel.  What is the innovation here in Clark? You have a lounge dedicated for the use of Overseas Filipino Workers for free,” he shared.

For the first time, this will be an airport that will be connected with a train express.

“Airport express service will reduce travel time from Makati to Clark and vice versa from more than two hours by land to just 55 minutes. This is the first of its kind where you have interoperable facilities for transportation and I hope this will serve as a template to other international airports,” Tugade furthered.

For his part, Bases Conversion and Development Authority President and CEO Vince Dizon honored the more than 3,000 workers, engineers, architects, and designers who built the world-class airport and has made it a reality for every Filipino.

“This is a true testament to the talent of the Filipino, his/her ingenuity and hard work,” he said. (CLJD-PIA 3)