Megawide to build SMC’s Boracay airport terminal

ICONIC SUNSET Tourists and locals enjoy the iconic sunset of Boracay Island by setting sail on its waters at dusk. —JACK JARILLA

The groundbreaking for San Miguel Corp.’s (SMC) Caticlan Airport, the gateway to Boracay Island, is set for next month with Megawide Construction Corp. tapped to design and build the passenger terminal building.

“We believe that Megawide’s track record of building key infrastructure through efficient and sustainable practices will help us deliver a world-class facility within our committed deadline,” SMC chair and CEO Ramon Ang said.

He earlier said they were aiming to finish constructing the new terminal in “less than three years.” The new building at the airport operated by SMC Infrastructure subsidiary Trans Aire Development Holdings Corp. is expected to cater to 7 million passengers annually.

READ: New Caticlan airport terminal ready by ’26; Bridge to Boracay coming soon

The project also meant Megawide’s return to the airport sector after selling its stake in Mactan-Cebu International Airport to Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc.

“We hope to impart our engineering excellence and be able to integrate our sustainable methodologies to this landmark development,” Megawide CEO and chair Edgar Saavedra said.

Aside from the Caticlan airport, SMC’s infrastructure portfolio also includes the P740-billion New Manila International Airport (NMIA) project and rehabilitation of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

The Bulacan project is expected to accommodate up to 100 million passengers annually at full capacity.

For Naia, the group plans to build a new passenger terminal building with an annual capacity of 35 million passengers. In the short term, meanwhile, it will focus on repairing elevators, escalators, toilets and air conditioning units.