The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) wants the local government of Cavite to submit the financial and economic assumptions on its proposal to build an international airport in Sangely Point, Cavite.
“No complete documentation (as of now). It’s not just feasibility study, but they have to do… They have to submit the financial and economic model,” said Ernesto Pernia, socioeconomic planning secretary.
Pernia said the Cavite government has yet to inform NEDA when it will submit the complete documents. The agency returned the proposal to the proponent.
When asked if NEDA gave the Cavite government a deadline, Pernia said, “It’s up to them.”
Earlier, Arthur Tugade, transportation secretary, said the provincial government of Cavite could team up with private sector proponents such as the Solar Group to speed up the development of Sangley Point as an international gateway.
“It is possible. There is nothing illegal about that,” Tugade had said on the possibility of a partnership or joint venture between the two parties.
He pointed out even the national government has partnered with the private sector for various infrastructure projects under the public-private partnership program.
The P500-billion Sangley International Airport proposal of Cavite is pending at the NEDA because of alleged incomplete documents, funding source issue and unclear implementing arrangement.
Tugade’s deadline to the provincial government for its airport project proposal lapsed last July.
Sangley airport is an important alternative to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). President Duterte ordered the transfer of domestic flights from NAIA to Sangley Air Base to ease the airport congestion in Metro Manila this year.
Aside from the Cavite provincial government, Solar Group’s All-Asia Resources and Reclamation Corp. submitted an unsolicited proposal to develop Sangley into an international airport in 2016, with an estimated cost of $12 billion.
Under the proposal, the project will start with the reclamation of about 2,500 hectares of land north of the Sangley peninsula which will be used for the development of the airport infrastructure and a commercial establishment to complement the project.
