The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has secured funding support for the development of the Poro Point San Fernando Airport in La Union under the public-private-partnership (PPP) program.
“We are confident in the expertise of the PPP Center [and that] the development of the airport [into an international gateway] will be fast-tracked,” said BCDA president and CEO Arnel D. Casanova.
He said the PPP Center was now preparing the necessary documentation for the hiring of a consultant to do the feasibility study, prepare bid documents and assist in the bidding process until the financial closure of the project with the private investor.
The project development phase, Casanova added, was an important first step as it would define the parameters for the next phase, which is the design and construction phase. Construction is seen to start by the middle of 2015.
The La Union airport project calls for the upgrading of the airport facilities to meet the International Civil Aviation Organization (Icao) requirements for safety and to serve larger aircraft for international flights and the construction of a terminal with a commercial complex.
According to Casanova, the development of the Poro Point San Fernando Airport was envisioned to establish it as a regional airport that could accommodate direct international flights, serving as a gateway to La Union, Baguio and other tourist spots in the region. It will also provide a link with and complement the operations of the Clark International Airport.
“An airport terminal shopping mall will be constructed similar to Changi Airport of Singapore, but much smaller in scale,” Casanova added.