Twenty-five companies have submitted bids for the expansion and improvement of four regional airports with a combined project cost of P1.15 billion.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) yesterday conducted the submission and opening of bids for four airport projects.
These are the P596.5-million Laoag International Airport development project that involves the rehabilitation and improvement of the existing runway; the P72.4-million Vigan airport project involving asphalt overlay of the runway; and the P193.9-million Borongan airport development project which covers the construction of turning pad, CHB perimeter fence and runway strip grade correction.
Lastly, the P281.2-million Central Mindanao airport development project involves the asphalt overlay of the runway, including runway strip grade correction.
Of the 25 firms, six have submitted bids for the Laoag airport, eight for the Borongan airport development project, three for Vigan and eight for the Central Mindanao airport project.
These projects are funded through the General Appropriation Act.
Airport improvement projects are among the priorities of the DOTr to help further improve air connectivity and mobility in the country, not only in the main cities but also in the provinces and remote areas.
In a related development, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said the Swiss challenge for the privatization of Laguindingan airport is set in August.
“We are finalizing the privatization of the Laguindingan airport. The Swiss challenge will be, I think, August 12 or 13. We’re expecting there will be a Swiss challenge,” Bautista said.
Last February, DOTr and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines launched the Swiss challenge for the airport, asking local and international firms to submit comparative proposals to challenge the private proponent, Aboitiz InfraCapital.
Under the Swiss challenge, companies are invited to submit a proposal to challenge Aboitiz InfraCapital’s unsolicited proposal. The latter then has the right to match the offer of the challenger.
The implementing agencies reserve the right to reject any or all bids, declare a failure of the comparative challenge, modify the comparative challenge process documents or any aspect thereof anytime, and/or not award the project for any reason whatsoever and without the need of any explanation, the DOTr said.
The Laguindingan International Airport project involves the development of international flights, expansion of the airport’s capacity according to market demand, and introduction of new concepts of sustainability and connectivity to improve the environmental and operational performance of the airport.
This will serve the Northern Mindanao Region that is composed of five provinces: Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon and Camiguin, along with two highly urbanized cities, Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
