Megawide to pursue development plan for MCIA

CEBU, Philippines — Megawide Construction Corp said it will pursue its long-term development plan for the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA).

In a stock exchange filing, the infrastructure company said: "Megawide will pursue its unsolicited P209-billion proposal for the 50-year development of MCIA, as well as plans for a second independent, parallel runway."

Under the proposal, the expansion will be undertaken in three phases, with the first involving the rehabilitation of MCIA’s existing runway and taxiways; construction of an additional parallel taxiway to serve as emergency runway; and the development of additional rapid exit taxiways and runway holding positions, upon takeover of the airside facilities.

The second phase will involve the construction of a second parallel and independent runway, while the third and final phase is the building of a third terminal for additional passengers.

GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp, the joint venture company of Megawide and Bangalore-based airport operator GMR Infrastructure Ltd. had won the contract for the P17.52-billion MCIA Passenger Terminal Building project under the Aquino administration’s flagship public-private partnership (PPP) program and the concession to develop Mactan Airport for 25 years.

The company has believed in the potential of MCIA as the primary gateway to serve Visayas and Mindanao.

“Passenger traffic at MCIA has shown incredible growth in the last two or three years.

The rehabilitation of airside facilities and the building of a new runway are expected to lessen congestion that may be experienced with just one runway facility currently.

Based on the study by the company, passenger traffic in Cebu will reach about 28 million passenger per year in 2039, a projected traffic similar to major Asian airports such as Singapore, New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur, among others.

GMR-Megawide is looking at a possible reclamation in Magellan Bay to minimize the impact on surrounding communities.

Once completed, the MCIA will emerge as the first Philippine airport with two parallel independent runways.

The consortium’s proposal came following MCIAA's passage of a resolution pushing for the implementation of a second runway.

“The company submitted a highly detailed proposal tailored specifically to the needs of MCIA and it is looking forward to the government’s response.

Passenger traffic at MCIA, the country’s second busiest airport, reached 5.17 million from January to June this year, hitting half of the airport's 10 million passenger arrival target for 2017.

Based on official data from MCIA Authority, Mactan airport's passenger traffic in the first half rose 16 percent to 5.17 million from 4.46 million in the same period last year.

During the six-month period, international passengers grew 40 percent to 1.59 million from 1.14 million last year.

While domestic passengers reached 3.58 million, up 8 percent from 3.32 million.

Meanwhile, air traffic volume also saw a 22 percent growth from January to June this year to 43,268 from 35,570 last year.

International flights reached 10,203, up 39 percent from 7,320 last year, while domestic flights rose 17 percent to 33,065 from 28,250. (FREEMAN)