Gov’t weighs multiple airport PPP projects

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista | PHOTO: Department of Transportation – Philippines official facebook page

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) continues to assess unsolicited proposals for public-private partnership (PPP) projects involving several regional airports, which it expects to draw more investor interest moving forward.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, in a recent interview with reporters, said they had received a proposal for the Laguindingan airport last month.

“We are continuing the evaluation of the unsolicited proposal for the regional airports,” he said.

“There is already one proposal that was submitted to us last Dec. 2 and we expect the others to submit within January,” he added.

Previously, Bautista said that regional airport projects to be accomplished via PPP include those in Laguindingan, Bohol, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, Davao, Bacolod, Kalibo, Busuanga and Siargao.

“These are the regional airports that we would like the private sector to develop and improve operations,” Bautista said.

Bautista earlier said they were also targeting to complete several regional airport projects worth P1 trillion this year.

These include the construction and enhancement of Tuguegarao Airport, San Vicente Airport, Tacloban Airport, Antique Airport, Bacolod-Silay Airport, Catbalogan Airport, Davao International Airport, M’Lang Airport, Sanga-Sanga Airport and Ozamis Airport.

The DOTr chief previously said they have been “addressing the air connectivity needs of Filipinos by increasing airport terminal building capacity and improving airport facilities by applying technology solutions.”

Meanwhile, land development work at San Miguel Corp.’s New Manila International Airport in Bulacan is nearly 50-percent complete, according to the DOTr official.

Land development—which includes clearing, digging, dredging, excavating and filling of land or sand, among others—is expected to be done by the end of this year. After these, actual civil works can start.

“By 2024, the proponent can start the construction of the runway and the passenger terminal building,” Bautista said. Completion is targeted in 2027.

The Bulacan airport has a design capacity of up to 100 million passengers annually, which is seen decongesting Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the country’s main gateway. INQ