Metro Pacific Investments Corp. expressed interest in bidding for the P74.5-billion contract to operate and maintain the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
“Yes, [we are interested in bidding for Naia]. I heard about it…We are discussing. We will look at it. We don’t know the terms yet obviously,” Pangilinan, who chairs Metro Pacific, told reporters over the weekend.
The National Economic and Development Authority board headed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Sept. 14 approved the Naia project, which involves awarding a 15-year to 20-year concession to the private sector to improve, operate and maintain Naia and its four terminals.
Transportation undersecretary for aviation and airports Robert Lim said the agency was in the process of finalizing the terms for the bidding of the redevelopment, operation and maintenance of Naia. “By January next year, we will release the advertisement to invite interested companies to bid in the project,” Lim said.
Other companies also expressed interest in joining the bidding. “We are very interested in the Naia when that is privatized,” Aboitiz Equity Ventures president and chief executive Erramon Aboitiz said earlier.
The private partner of the Naia PPP project will improve, upgrade and enhance the operational efficiencies of all existing terminals covering both landside and airside (except air traffic services) to meet the International Civil Aviation Organization standards and develop the main gateway airport of the Philippines.
It is a project of the Transportation Department and Manila International Airport Authority.
Meanwhile, Pangilinan said he would also support the government’s proposal to pursue a pro-consumer-based approach to PPP.
“It’s a different approach, more responsive approach to consumer. If it’s tollways, one model is to bid on the basis of the highest price or premium payable by the winning bidder to the government. The other model, based on lowest fare to consumers, the benefit goes directly to the motorist. So that’s a scheme that we will happily favor so if that’s the mode of bidding of the government, we will totally endorse it,” Pangilinan said.
Metro Pacific is an active participant of the PPP program.
The Naia PPP project was one of nine projects approved by the Neda board, with a total cost of P171.14 billion.
“Once implemented and completed, these approved projects will help attain our medium- and long-term development goals of making the agricultural sector competitive, improving mobility by making our transport system safer and more efficient, increasing disaster resiliency, and improving health services,” said Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia.
Other projects approved were the Inclusive Partnership for Agricultural Competitiveness of the Agrarian Reform Department, the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center Modernization Project of the Health Department, the Modernization of Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital Project and the Metro Manila Flood Management Project Phase I.
The other approved projects were Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit – Edsa of the Transportation Department, Increase in Passenger Terminal Building Area of the Bicol International Airport, the Change in Scope of the New Bohol Airport Construction and Sustainable Environment Protection Project and the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project Phase II of the Transportation Department and the Philippine Coast Guard.