Billionaire Ramon Ang's Promise: A Racetrack Beside the New Airport in Bulacan

Ramon Ang has got a lot going on. As the president and vice chairman of San Miguel Corp., he oversees the operations of one of the largest diversified conglomerates in the Philippines. Last week, he also led the return of the Ferrari brand in the Philippines, assuming the local distributorship of the famed Italian luxury car manufacturer. 

During an exclusive roundtable with the tycoon and the regional executive of Ferrari, Ang revealed something else that might get car guys’ heart pumping. In addition to the brand new airport his company SMC is now building in Bulacan, Ang said there are plans to build a state-of-the-art race track right beside it.

ALSO READ

See Photos of What the 'Aerocity' Near the Bulacan Airport Might Look Like

Ferrari Reopens in the Philippines Under Billionaire Ramon Ang's Group 

“There’s going to be a three-and-a-half-kilometer racetrack, a car park and a garage for all car owners,” he said. “You can buy a car, keep it there, and drive it around.”

Ang said the decision to build a car was driven (so to speak) by the lack of nice roads to drive nice cars and the traffic situation in Manila.

“Right now, kunyari you have a car, you can’t enjoy it,” he said. “Where are you going to drive it with all the traffic? You can drive it in the highways, and you may be a good driver, but the other small cars might suddenly stop and kill you.

“But if you have a nice racetrack in a nice new city, people will enjoy,” he added.

The tycoon said the racetrack will also have garage provisions for luxury car owners.

“Can you imagine, you can buy a nice car, and then you can go there anytime,” Ang said. “Our mechanics can assist you. It’s like a race pit. You just come and drive and we’ll take care of it. After you drive it, we’ll clean it up and put it back in the garage for you. 

“If you notice there are many sports car brands in Manila,” he added. “But can any of them take care of their customers?”

SMC’s plans for the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) in Bulacan includes an Aerocity that reflects “the vision of a modern Philippine city that provides built-in solutions to various socio-economic, environmental, and climate issues, and corrects the mistakes seen in many urban developments of Metro Manila.”

NMIA, which SMC is building in a 2,400-hectare parcel of land in Bulacan at a cost of P740 billion, will feature four parallel runways, a world-class terminal, and a modern and interlinked infrastructure network that includes expressways and railways. SMC won the contract to build, operate, and maintain the facility in 2019.