Construction of the terminal building for the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) is set to begin in 2026, with nearly 80 percent of land development along the Manila Bay shoreline already completed.

This was confirmed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) during a recent inspection and project briefing with the Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC), led by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

DOTr Project Manager Engr. Abelardo Sore Jr. said the terminal, which will rise on a 2,500-hectare site, is being designed by San Miguel Aero City Inc. (SMAI) to feature five wings and 240 boarding gates. Once operational, it is expected to accommodate 35 to 100 million passengers annually—making it one of Southeast Asia’s largest airports.

Behind the terminal, four parallel runways are planned, with construction of the first two set to begin soon.

SMAI engineer Norberto Conti noted that an additional 33 million cubic meters of sand is still needed to complete reclamation works. With this in place, terminal construction is expected to proceed as scheduled in 2026, with full operations anticipated by 2028.

The ₱735-billion project is being developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with San Miguel Corporation (SMC), which was awarded the concession in 2019. Under Republic Act 11506, SMC holds a 50-year franchise to build and operate the facility before turning it over to the government.

Of the total investment, ₱536 billion has already been registered with the Board of Investments (BOI).

The NMIA will be supported by 21 planned access roads and expressways, including an eight-kilometer spur road connecting Marilao and Balagtas to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), and the Northern Access Link Expressway (NALEX), now under construction.