The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has approved P190.83 billion infrastructure projects in its meeting yesterday, including the solicited proposal to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
NEDA secretary Arsenio Balisacan, in separate press briefings in Malacanang and the NEDA office in Pasig yesterday, said among the three new approved projects is the Solicited NAIA Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project, under the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Manila International Airport Authority, which aims to rehabilitate, operate, expand and transfer NAIA.
The P170.6-billion project will address longstanding issues at NAIA, such as the inadequate capacity of passenger terminal buildings and restricted aircraft movement.
It aims to increase the current annual airport capacity from 35 million to at least 62 million passengers as well as air traffic movement from 40 to 48 per hour.
The project has a 15-year concession, with a provision for a 10-year extension, subject to an assessment on the performance of the concessionaire.
“We expect to have the winning bidder within the year, and so as early as next year we could have the project started,” Balisacan said.
“The decision of the NEDA Board to go for a solicited contract means that the unsolicited track is already closed, at least for this project. We are hoping that those who have initially opted to go for unsolicited would join or participate in the bidding for the solicited contract,” he added.
A P267- billion unsolicited proposal was earlier submitted by Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC), which is composed of Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp., Alliance Global-Infracorp Development Inc., Filinvest Development Corp. and JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corp. and foreign partner Global Infrastructure Partners.
MIAC in a statement said it understands the decision of NEDA to approve the proposal of the DOTr saying it is one with the government on its infrastructure priorities.
“Regardless of the route, we firmly believe that NAIA’s modernization requires a long-term and comprehensive solution delivered by a credible and capable party at the quickest possible time. These criteria – regardless of the approach – would best benefit NAIA and the Filipino people,” MIAC said.
Asked why the NEDA Board opted to take the solicited route, Balisacan said: “Because open and competitive bidding… is for the benefit of the public and the government, because we don’t know what’s best until we get the various offers.”
The NEDA Board also approved the P7.48-billion Samar Pacific Coastal Road II Project, which involves the construction of two marine bridges–the Laoang II Bridge and Calomotan Bridge–and improvement of existing roads between Laoang Island and mainland Samar Island with a total length of 15 kilometers.
The NEDA Board also approved the unsolicited proposal for the upgrade, expansion, operation and maintenance of the Laguindingan International Airport PPP Project in Misamis Oriental for P12.75 billion.
Meanwhile, Balisacan said the NEDA Board also approved requests for changes in scope, cost, design and/or loan validity of four ongoing infrastructure projects.
These include the loan validity extension and implementation period extension of the Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Measures in Low-Lying Areas of Pampanga Bay Project (worth P7.5 billion); extension of implementation period, loan validity, increase in cost, reallocation of loan proceeds and change in scope and design of the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Stage II Project (P19.6 billion); change in the project scope, decrease in cost and extension of the implementation period for the Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project Stage II (P5.1 billion); and the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit Project loan validity extension until Dec. 31, 2025.
The NEDA Board also confirmed the proposed adoption of a National Policy on Infrastructure Sector Master Plans which harmonizes and rationalize the formulation of master plans for the infrastructure sector across the government.
“This is to ensure that the master plans are coordinated, synergistic, responsive to the emerging issues and consistent with the sector’s priority development strategies,” Balisacan said. An executive order will be issued. Angela Celis
