MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is seeking bids for the consultancy services contract to design the New Dumaguete Airport in Negros Oriental, one of several terminals in the government’s pipeline.
In a request for expression of interest, the DOTr said it would bid out the $14.5-million consultancy services contract as part of plans to replace the existing Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport with a new one, in anticipation of an increase in passenger volume to 2.5 million by 2038.
The new airport is also envisioned to accommodate international routes. The current airport can handle up to 800,000 passengers and only serves domestic flights.
The deadline for submission of bids is on June 18. Among the primary criteria to qualify are the relevant experience of the proponent and the availability of required personnel to accomplish the project.
The DOTr is working with the Export-Import Bank of Korea on this infrastructure project.
More airports
The proposed terminal is one of the infrastructure project proposals approved by the National Economic and Development Authority Board last year.
READ: DOTr readies P14-B airport kitty
The DOTr has stressed the need to improve connectivity in the countryside, lining up P1 trillion worth of regional airport projects.
These include the construction and enhancement of Tuguegarao Airport, San Vicente Airport, Bacolod-Silay Airport, Catbalogan Airport, Davao International Airport, M’Lang Airport, Sanga-Sanga Airport, and Ozamis Airport.
In March, the DOTr awarded the P170.6-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) rehabilitation project to San Miguel Corp.-led New Naia Infrastructure Corp. (NICC). The consortium is set to take over the country’s main gateway by September.
Expanded terminal
NICC—which also includes local companies RLW Aviation Development Inc. and RMM Asian Logistics Inc. and South Korean airport operator Incheon International Airport Corp.—will build a new passenger terminal building with 35-million annual passenger capacity.
Data from the Civil Aeronautics Board show that passenger volume for both domestic and international flights reached 50.18 million last year, surging by 55 percent from 32.33 million in 2022.
The latest print, the highest since the pandemic disrupted airline operations globally, was about 84 percent of the 60.06 million passenger volume recorded in 2019. INQ