MANILA - The construction of the new international airport in Bulacan led by San Miguel Corp will "definitely" start this year, a transport official said Wednesday.

Transport Secretary Art Tugade gave San Miguel president Ramon Ang "time to recover" from personal matters before asking him about the groundbreaking of the airport Transportation Assistant Secretary Giovanni Lopez told reporters.

According to reports, the airport was supposed to break ground in December last year or January this year.

San Miguel Corp posted an P11 billion construction security bond that could be forfeited if nothing happens with the project, Lopez said.

"The Secretary, at this point in time has opted to exercise human compassion and decency kung pwede natin pagbigayan ng konting panahon para tuluyang makarecover ang proponent SMC," Lopez said.

(The Secretary, at this point in time has opted to exercise human compassion and decency, if we could show some compassion, for the proponent SMC to fully recover.)

The project could be completed in 6 years, Lopez said.

Ang in January appealed to the public to stop spreading "fake news" about his son Jomar who was hospitalized.