P350B NAIA airport upgrade proposed

The P350B NAIA upgrade proposal submitted by seven of the country’s largest conglomerates

A P350-billion unsolicited proposal to upgrade the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and transform it into a “world-class” regional aviation hub has been submitted to the government by a consortium comprising seven of the country’s largest conglomerates.

In partnership with Changi Airport Consultants Pte. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Changi Airports International Pte. Ltd., the proposal was submitted to the Department of Transportation on Feb. 12.

Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., the Ayalas’ AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Andrew Tan-led Alliance Global Group Inc., Lucio Tan-led Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp., Gotianun-led Filinvest Development Corp., Gokongwei-led JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. formed what has been tagged as the NAIA “super-consortium.”

The local “super-consortium” has tapped Changi Airport to provide technical support in the areas of master-planning, operations optimization and commercial development at NAIA.

The consortium’s proposal is seen to support the government’s ‘build, build, build’ program with its plan to redevelop NAIA and upgrade its airside, landside, and air navigation support. This is seen to “build on the gains already achieved by the DOTR (Department of Transportation) in terms of improving the traffic of aircraft movements on its runways.

The project is divided into two phases. Phase 1 includes improvements and expansion of terminals in the current NAIA land area, while phase 2 involves the development of an additional runway, taxiways, passenger terminals and associated support infrastructure.

“Through this proposal, we envision a new NAIA: a fully-integrated premier gateway that we Filipinos can truly be proud of, backed by the know-how of an experienced technical partner and the strong synergy of seven homegrown teams. The message is clear: we need this, and we can get this done,” said consortium spokesperson Jose Emmanuel Reverente. He added that the proposal included a people mover that would link all three terminals and connect NAIA to the existing mass transport system in Metro Manila, as well as an option for a third runway.

“The proposal involves expanding and interconnecting the existing terminals of NAIA, upgrading airside facilities, and developing commercial facilities to increase airline and airport efficiencies, enhance passenger comfort and experience, and improve public perception of NAIA as the country’s premier international gateway,” Reverente noted.

Passenger traffic to NAIA is expected to continue to grow significantly over the coming years and the existing runway configuration may be unable to accommodate the future flows. Construction of the additional runway will ensure the ability of NAIA to serve as Manila’s gateway for years to come, bringing potential capacity up to 100 million passengers per year.

The upgrades are seen to elevate NAIA to the level of major regional airports such as Changi in Singapore and Suvarnabhumi in Bangkok and will become a viable transit hub for the ASEAN region.

“Given the full support and commitment of each of the seven consortium members and the existing infrastructure already in place, the project implementation can be expedited. Immediate enhancements and capacity upgrades can be expected within a couple of years, followed by further expansion to be completed shortly after,” Reverente added.