The Department of Transportation said it would hand over the operations and maintenance (O&M) of major transportation projects to the private sector to ensure operational efficiency, according to Secretary Jaime Bautista.
Bautista said the O&M transfer of the Iloilo Airport and Puerto Princesa Airport would be set in motion soon.
Meanwhile, the O&M of the Bohol-Panglao International Airport will be awarded next month to Aboitiz InfraCapital. The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) operator recently signed the concession agreement for the O&M of the Laguinduingan Airport.
“Within next month we will award another airport, which is the Bohol-Panglao International Airport. Next year, we’re looking at privatizing Iloilo and Puerto Princesa Airports,” Bautista said.
Bautista said that for the Metro Rail Transit Line-3, the agency received an unsolicited proposal but it was looking at a solicited project.
“We are evaluating it, although in parallel with that, we are looking at the possibility of making it a solicited [proposal],” he said.
Bautista said that with limited government resources, the DOTr is taking advantage of the investment opportunities from the private sector, which will result in the rail line’s operational efficiency and capacity expansion.
Once the private sector took over the MRT-3’s operations and management, the rail line’s capacity will increase to 500,000 passengers daily from the current 350,000 passenger threshold.
Bautista said the O&M transfer for MRT 3 may be completed by mid-2025.
