PH seeks tie-ups to enhance 6 provincial airports

After officially opening the hunt for a private sector partner to rehabilitate the country’s main gateway, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has also lined up multiple projects worth a total of P1.66 billion to upgrade six provincial airports.

The government had issued six invitations to bid as the DOTr seeks to improve air connectivity with the resurgence of passenger volume in airports.

Among the contracts up for bid is for the civil works for horizontal and vertical structures at Tacloban Airport costing P661.11 million. Inquirer tried to reach the DOTr for further details on said construction works but it has yet to receive a response as of writing.

For Laoag International Airport, the DOTr is looking for contractors for the asphalt overlay of the runway, provisioning of baggage claim carousel and construction of a DOTr office for Project Management Office. The contract is worth P577.08 million.

The Antique Airport development project, meanwhile, involves a P247.09-million contract for civil works of “horizontal structures,” which the government has yet to clearly define.

The construction of the perimeter fence and airport road for Bukidnon Airport, on the other hand, will cost P77.28 million.

To continue the construction of secant piles at Marinduque Airport, the DOTr is offering a P49.13-million contract.

The government also issued for bidding a P48.39-million contract to improve airside facilities at Vigan Airport.

Upcoming projects

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista previously underscored the need to address air connectivity by “increasing airport terminal building capacity and improving airport facilities by applying technology solutions.”This year, the DOTr is eyeing to complete 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.

Last week, the DOTr opened the bidding for the P170.6-billion privatization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The deadline for the submission of bids is set for Dec. 27.

The project seeks to increase the gateway’s annual passenger capacity to at least 62 million from 32 million. The winning bidder will be given a concession period of 15 years, which can be extended by another 10 years.

The department said earlier they wanted to start the project by the first quarter of next year. INQ