The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is moving closer to realizing the New Dumaguete Development Airport project after shortlisting three Korean proponents who will come up with the design of the infrastructure that is envisioned to cater to more passengers.
The government agency has issued requests for proposals for the $14.5-million consultancy service contract to Yooshin Engineering Corp., Keun Jeong Architects and Engineers and Incheon International Airport Corp.
The deadline for bid submission is on Dec. 9.
The Incheon Airport Group manages South Korea’s biggest international gateway, which handles 77 million passengers annually. It is also part of the San Miguel Corp.-led New Naia Infra Corp., which won the P170.6-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport rehabilitation project earlier this year.
International routes
Keun Jeong Architects & Engineers’ service portfolio includes the crafting of project designs and urban planning.
Yooshin Engineering Corp. is an engineering consultancy company that is involved in project development and environmental impact assessment, among others.
The DOTr wants to replace the existing Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport in anticipation of passenger volume growing to 2.5 million by 2038. It can handle up to 800,000 passengers as of now.
While it is only serving domestic flights at present, the new airport is envisioned to accommodate international routes as well.
For this project, the DOTr is working with the Export-Import Bank of Korea, which will extend a total loan of $255.72 million for the project.
The proposed terminal is one of the infrastructure project proposals approved by the National Economic and Development Authority Board last year.
For next year, the DOTr has received a budget allocation of P12 billion to develop and expand capacity of airports outside Metro Manila.
Bulk of the funding will go to Tacloban Airport (P2.3 billion), Busuanga Airport (P1 billion), Laoag International Airport (P750 million) and Iloilo International Airport (P645 million).