Consortium’s NAIA offer deemed complete

A consortium of the country’s largest conglomerates announced on Thursday that its offer to upgrade and operate Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) was deemed “complete” by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

The group described this as a “major milestone” because it meant the Duterte administration could proceed with the review of its unsolicited offer, which involved a 35-year concession period and an estimated investment of P350 billion.

Consortium members include Ayala Corp., Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Andrew Tan’s Alliance Global Group Inc., Lucio Tan’s Asia Emerging Dragon, Gotianun-led Filinvest Development Corp, Gokongwei-led JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

The group tapped Changi International Airport as technical consultant.

The consortium specifically noted that the DOTr gave notice that their offer passed a so-called completeness review. This referred to the documentary requirements stated under the Build Operate Transfer Law that governs unsolicited offers.

“This finding is a major milestone for an unsolicited proposal like ours to progress in the bureaucracy. An incomplete proposal does not move forward,” Jimbo Reverente, spokesperson for the consortium, said in a statement.

The consortium submitted its offer for Naia on Feb. 12, 2018. It might be pitted against another offer submitted a week later by Megawide Construction Corp. and GMR Infrastructure of India.

Big business groups are keen on Naia, which is operating well above its design capacity.

Reverente said the consortium’s project could now be reviewed further by the DOTr. —MIGUEL R. CAMUS