The provincial government of Cavite said over the weekend it is set to sign a deal with Samsung C&T Corp. of South Korea next month for the construction of the $11-billion Sangley Point International Airport project.
“First week of February is the target schedule with Samsung,” Cavite Governor Juanito Victor Remulla said in a Viber message to the Manila Standard.
Samsung C&T, a South Korean multinational, construction and engineering firm known for building the world’s tallest tower, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, will be the lead EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractor for SPIA.
Remulla said the consortium agreement for the SPIA project “will be finalized before that [signing with Samsung].”
The Cavite government in September 2022 awarded the $11-billion Sangley International Airport to SPIA Development Corp., a consortium composed of Cavitex Holdings, Yuchengco Group, MacroAsia Corp. and their foreign partners.
Cavitex Holdings, the Philippine lead, said it would bring its expertise in infrastructure development, while the Yuchengco Group, through House of Investments, said it would contribute its expertise and financial resources in developing large-scale projects.
MacroAsia said it would lend its expertise with aviation support in logistics and technical services.
Munich Airport International GmbH, the operator of the five-star Munich Airport, will serve as the technical consultant for airport concept of operations and maintenance including route development, while Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited, known for its prized work in airport design and engineering, will be the lead master development planner.
SPIA Development and its foreign partners committed to transforming Sangley Point International Airport into a fully-modernized, world-class and green airport.
The consortium said the project would revitalize not only the tourism industry, which is a major pillar of the country’s economic recovery, but also the overall business environment.
The project includes the construction of a four-kilometer connector road, with provisions for rail connectivity, fully-integrated logistics and aviation support facilities. With the development of the first runway, SPIA can operate as a satellite runway to immediately relieve the congestion at the runway of Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The project is expected to generate 50,000 jobs and become a catalyst to bring in foreign direct investments that will promote trade and economic development, the group said.
The Cavite government in January 2021 scrapped the deal with China Communications Construction Co. and MacroAsia to build and operate Sangley airport because of alleged deficiency in documentations.
