MPIC remains keen on regional airport deal
MANILA, Philippines – Infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) remains interested in the regional airports deal under the public-private partnership (PPP) program, even as there are changes to the project.
“Major change from what it was. But we will still take a look at it,” MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan told reporters.
The National Economic and Development Authority Board has approved the proposal of the transport department to unbundle the regional airports project.
Transport undersecretary for the air sector Roberto Lim said earlier the department hopes to issue the invitation for the project within the first quarter.
The Aquino administration rolled out the regional airports project but was unable to bid this out.
When the project was offered for bidding during the previous administration, it had two bundles. The first bundle covered the Iloilo Airport and Bacolod-Silay Airport, while the second bundle is composed of the Davao Airport, New Bohol (Panglao) Airport and the Laguindingan Airport.
All five projects have a combined cost of P108.18 billion.
The winning bidder for each bundle would handle the operations and maintenance of the airports.
It will also be responsible for the expansion of the facilities.
MPIC is part of the Philippine Airports Consortium which was among the groups pre-qualified by the previous administration to bid for the project.
Other groups pre-qualified by the previous administration for the project are the Maya Consortium, GMR-Megawide Consortium, San Miguel Holdings Corp.-Incheon International Airport Corp. Consortium and Filinvest-JATCO-Sojitz Consortium. |
