MANILA, Philippines -- The country’s premier airport will no longer be the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, soon. It will be the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered her officials on Tuesday to pave the way for the international airport named after her late father, former President Diosdado Macapagal, to become the premier airport of the country.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said that the President made the directive based on the recommendation by a team from the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Department of Tourism.

Fajardo said aside from these government agencies, the private sector that included businessmen in Pampanga and Subic, Zambales were pushing for the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport to be named the premier airport of the country.

Fajardo said that this change was being sought because of the worsening congestion at NAIA. The problem has become so bad that incoming airplanes would have to fly around 30 minutes before they could land because of the heavy traffic.