MANILA -- The NAIA Consortium has submitted its rehabilitation proposal ahead of the April 30 deadline set by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), an official said on Thursday.
“They submitted the proposal at 7:30 p.m. of April 23,” DOTr Assistant Secretary for Communications Goddes Hope Libiran said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
In a press briefing last March, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said they would cancel talks with the NAIA Consortium if no deal was reached by April 30.
Tugade said negotiations with the consortium have been dragging, resulting in delays in the rehabilitation of the airport.
Among the contentious issues that are needed to be settled is the NAIA Consortium’s proposed automated people mover that will be installed within the airport. The consortium must submit details on their planned improvements at NAIA.
“The proposal still has to be reviewed by DOTr. Once DOTr finds it in line with the terms and conditions previously agreed upon, we will submit it to the Manila International Airport (MIAA) so they can attach it to the entire submission to the NEDA-ICC (National Economic Development Authority- Investment Coordination Committee),” Libiran, meanwhile, said.
Once the NAIA Consortium’s proposal is approved by the NEDA-ICC, the Swiss Challenge process will commence, wherein other companies may submit bids to match or even surpass those being offered by the original proponent.
Meanwhile, the NAIA Consortium said it is set to meet with DOTr officials in the next few days to discuss its updated proposal.
“The status is that we have already hurdled the most contentious issues for NAIA,” said Thet Mesias, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. media relations officer.
The DOTr granted the original proponent status in September last year to the NAIA Consortium on its proposed PHP102-billion NAIA rehabilitation project.
The proposal involves the expansion and interconnection of the existing NAIA terminals, upgrade of airside facilities, development of commercial facilities to ensure efficient airline and airport operations, enhancing passenger comfort and experience, and elevating the status of NAIA as the country's premier international gateway.
The consortium consists of seven companies -- Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc.; AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp.; Alliance Global Group, Inc.; Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp.; Filinvest Development Corp.; JG Summit Holdings, Inc.; and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (PNA)
