Firm offers to beef up airport in trendy Siargao

A private company is seeking to expand and operate the main air gateway to Siargao Island, which has seen a boom in tourism in recent years.

Manuel Antonio Tamayo, aviation undersecretary at the Department of Transportation (DOTr), told reporters in a recent interview that ground handling company Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc. (Pagss)  had submitted an unsolicited offer to develop, operate and maintain Siargao’s Sayak Airport.

Siargao, known for its white sand beaches and surfing spots, is among the fastest-growing tourism destinations in the country. In 2018, it was named the best island in Asia by luxury travel publication Condé Nast.

Tamayo said the proposal was still being evaluated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. He added the DOTr would also take into account a separate plan by the government to build a new airport in Siargao.

Pagss is controlled by businessman Jefferson G. Cheng, whose family owns Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco).

The ground handling services company has grown more active over the past year after acquiring the startup ground handling services firm of Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific Air.

It also teamed up with the Gokongwei family’s JG Summit Holdings and Gotianun-led Filinvest Development Corp. in a successful bid to operate and maintain the Clark International Airport in Pampanga province.

Pagss would need to secure an original proponent status (OPS) from the DOTr before its proposal is evaluated by the National Economic and Development Authority. The offer will then be subject to a challenge from other parties.

The DOTr, through its attached agencies, had granted the Aboitiz Group first dibs to develop and operate air gateways in Bohol and Misamis Oriental while Dennis A. Uy’s Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. had won a similar advantage for Davao International Airport.

It also conferred an OPS to Mega 7 Construction Corp. for its proposal for the Kalibo International Airport. In Luzon, it granted the same to San Miguel Corp. for its brand-new international airport in Bulacan province and the Naia Consortium for Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport.