The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday signed agreements to modernize and expand five public-private partnership (PPP) transport projects.
These include the concession agreement for the Bohol-Panglao International Airport, amounting to P4.53-billion, and the civil work contract for the P17-billion New Cebu International Container Port (NCICP).
Also covered by the agreements were the deals regarding the transaction advisory services with the International Finance Corp. (IFC) for the New Dumaguete and Siargao airports, the Cebu Container Port, and the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT).
IFC’s advisory services for the New Dumaguete and Siargao airports, NCICP and CBRT are expected to help the government implement its PPP transactions and expand private sector participation.
“These projects are not just structures. They are representative of every Filipino’s dream of more comfortable travel, better opportunities, and a clearer path towards their goals and dreams,” said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who witnessed the signing in Malacañang.
Marcos emphasized the need for a proactive approach to bring
about progress, saying, “the future will not simply come to us—we must be the ones to build it. And this is how we will move forward.”
The president outlined the benefits of the international container point, which is expected to alleviate congestion at the existing Cebu Base Port.
The project involves the construction of a 1,365-meter access road and a 300-meter offshore bridge.
On paper, the NCICP project will be finished by November 2027.
“Once completed, this will not only make goods more affordable but will also generate thousands of jobs for our people. … [I]t will also create more opportunities for everyone as it will provide increased space for port activities,” the president said.
Another key project is the CBRT, a modern bus network designed to connect major districts of Cebu City.
The system intends to make life easier and more comfortable for commuters who live in Cebu.
For Bohol International Airport, the DOTr signed a 30-year concession agreement with Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. (AIC).
The Bohol airport project will be expanded in two phases. AIC is under contract to increase airport capacity from 2 million to 2.5 million passengers a year. By 2030, the airport is expected to accommodate nearly four million passengers.
In a separate speech, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said the Dumaguete and Siargao airport projects will be the DOTr’s first bundled PPP projects that will be offered to multiple proponents.
The modernization of the Bohol-Panglao International Airport involves the construction of a new passenger terminal and upgraded facilities, increasing its capacity to 3.9 million passengers a year.
Plans for the New Dumaguete and New Siargao airports are underway, with the World Bank’s International Finance Corp. providing support for documentary and bidding processes.
IFC will assist in identifying a qualified operator for Cebu’s bus rapid transit system.
This 35-kilometer bus transit system includes a 17-kilometer trunk service, 22 stations, and the capacity to accommodate up to 164,000 passengers daily once fully operational.
“All these projects are a major win for the economy, for tourism, for the environment, for the private sector, and most of all, for the Filipino people,” Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said in his speech.
Recto said mobilizing the private sector’s participation in nation-building through greater investments is among the strategic priorities being pursued by the Department of Finance as part of its growth-enhancing fiscal consolidation plan.
