The local government of Cavite will turn over to the private sector the construction and the operation and maintenance (O&M) of its proposed $10-billion new international airport in Sangley, Cavite to fasttrack the project’s completion, the first phase of which is targeted in three years.
Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla told reporters at the sidelines of the operational dry-run of Sangley Airport, said the province will no longer be part of the procurement process but will instead lease out the 1,400-hectare land to a winning contractor which has the option to award the O&M of the airport to another company.
Remulla said private sector companies can form a consortium for the construction side and another for the O&M.
”We don’t want to be part of the procurement process as a company because of government regulations… the government bidding process is too cumbersome so we would rather that they (private companies) lease the land from us and they put up an airport company… everything would be private,” Remulla added.
Six companies, five local and one foreign, have bought bid documents for the airport project.
These include Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investment Corp., DM Consunji and China Construction Corp.
Cavite is expected to award by the end of November the contract for the construction of the four runways and the passenger terminals
The project involves reclamation, which costs $3 billion.
Interested bidders have until November 11 to purchase bid documents. Deadline for submission of tender offers is set on November 25.
The project will be awarded to private sector without sovereign guarantee.
The Cavite government will break ground on the Sangley airport by January 15.
The first phase involves the construction of a single runway and passenger terminal that could accommodate 20 million passengers per year. This will be completed in three years.
The second phase involves the completion of four runways that will be able handle to 100 million passengers per year upon completion in six years, according to Remulla.
The operational dry run yesterday comes ahead of the deadline set by President Duterte for the military air base to commence general aviation and turboprop cargo operations.
Sangley airport is an important alternative to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
