The consortium of seven of the country’s top conglomerates proposing to rehabilitate Manila’s ‘Ninoy Aquino International Airport’ (NAIA) say that more Filipinos still prefer the main Manila gateway over its alternatives in Clark, Sangley or Bulacan, citing data from a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) in March 2018. In a recent statement, the consortium said the SWS survey results showed that “62% of the respondents wanted NAIA to be retained while 22% were for Clark, 9% were for Cavite (Sangley), and 6% voted for Bulacan.” The consortium is hoping to get an original proponent status (OPS) from the Department of Transportation (DoTr) for its proposal to rehabilitate NAIA for approximately PHP 106 billion. “Only the grant of an OPS is needed for this private proposal to move forward,” NAIA Consortium spokesperson Jose Emmanuel ‘Jimbo’ F. Reverente said in a statement. He noted the importance of speeding up the process “because every year’s delay will cost the country opportunity losses in terms of trade, investments, and tourism, and the jobs they will generate, among others. We are ready to start construction right after we get the notice to proceed (NTP) and deliver the first phase of expanding NAIA’s capacity by 2020.” In August 2018, the DoTr had already submitted its recommendation for the NAIA consortium’s rehabilitation proposal to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA). If the MIAA approves it, the DoTr will then forward it to the National Economic & Development Authority’s Investment Co-ordination Committee (NEDA-ICC). Once it secures approval from the NEDA Board, it will then be subjected to a Swiss challenge where other companies may submit competing offers. The original proponent will be given the right to match these offers. The consortium is composed of the country’s biggest companies: Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc.; AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp.; Alliance Global Group, Inc.; Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp.; Filinvest Development Corp.; JG Summit Holdings, Inc.; and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. Its technical partner is Singapore-based Changi Airports International Private Ltd. In February 2018, it had submitted to the Government the PHP 350 billion unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate the Manila gateway for 35 years but has since modified its submission to reduce the cost to about PHP 105 – 106 billion and the concession period to 15 years. Part of its original proposal was to build an additional runway, which has been retained as just an option for future expansion, said Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation Manuel Antonio L. Tamayo in May 2018. Other elements in the super consortium’s plan is to expand the existing terminals and add new taxiways. This is aimed to up the capacity of NAIA to 47 million in two years and to 65 million in four years. While rehabilitation of the NAIA is still pending, the Government is also making an effort to redirect passengers to airports in nearby locations. It is currently bidding for the operations and management contract of Clark International Airport in Pampanga and is reviewing San Miguel Corp.’s proposal to build Bulacan International Airport.
The DoTr also said it has approved the Cavite provincial government’s proposal to build Sangley International Airport in the south. #1085.21
