MANILA, Philippines - The head of the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) is urging the government to consider a twin airport system, where both the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the Pampanga airport can be developed as a main gateway.

In a statement, CIAC president and chief executive officer Victor Jose Luciano said having two airports for the Philippine capital will boost the government's efforts to attract 10 million tourists by 2016.

"We support the development of a twin-airport system that is the overall development of both Clark airport and NAIA. Both airports will have a symbiotic relationship that will be beneficial to the travelling public," he said.

Luciano said the CIAC will submit a list of projects, such as the construction of the gateway terminal, a budget terminal, navigational equipment, to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on March 4 for approval.

He noted the CIAC has been closely coordinating with the DOTC on the development of Clark International Airport. Businesses and communities have been flourishing in the area, he noted, due to the presence of the Clark ariport.

Luciano's proposal is similar to the suggestion of Cebu Pacific CEO and president Lance Gokongwei, who said that the government should develop both Clark and NAIA.

"I don't think it's a 'choose one or the other' decision... Manila is one of the biggest cities in the world. We can handle two, if not three airports, easily. We can have Clark, Manila, and another airport if it can be built," Gokongwei said on ANC's Inside Business with Coco Alcuaz, Wednesday evening.

Also on Wednesday, the former president of Clark Investors and Locators Association said that "businesses in the former US military facility suffered due to the indecision of the government over the fate of Clark airport."