Blame the Mactan airport snag on the DOTC
I just can't believe that the GMR/Megawide consortium which the Department of Transportation and Communications awarded for the 25-year lease of the Mactan Cebu International Airport would hit a snag that has now caused an undue delay in the implementation of the construction of the new Mactan Cebu International Airport terminal.
This was brought into the limelight by Megawide Chief Marketing Officer Louie Ferrer. This snag has something to do with the supposed "replication" of Philippine Air Force facilities where the new terminal would be built. This shouldn't have been a problem if only the DOTC officials did their due diligence and realized that portions of the footprint for the new airport terminal would not encroach on PAF property.
If you ask me, the word "replication" isn't something new to the MCIAA board as that is exactly what we did when we had a joint venture with AboitizLand for the Mactan Export Processing Zone II. Back in those days when I was still in the MCIAA board, this replication project hit a lot of snags because of the fast turnover of PAF command where the MCIAA negotiated with the air base commanders, then when they were promoted and moved out of Mactan. There was no formal turnover of the negotiations for the replication project.
The other issue was one of ignorance. If you recall, there were three large fuel tanks near the road, which is now the MEPZ II. Back in those days, Air Force officers insisted that MCIA replicate exactly all the buildings that we would destroy and use for the MCIAA.
Then came the issue of the replication of the fuel tanks. Some ignorant Air Force officers insisted that MCIA move the fuel tanks elsewhere but the lower rank officers told us that the PAF didn't really need them anymore as it didn't have enough airplanes. Indeed those fuel tanks were built by the US Air Force in the 1960's when the Mactan airport was used by the US Air Force as a launching point for the Vietnam War. Back then those fuel tanks were badly needed by the US forces that flew planes from Mactan to Vietnam or to Guam.
Finally, that Air Force officer who insisted in replicating the fuel tanks was promoted and his junior officer whom we were negotiating took over and he agreed that instead of replicating the fuel tanks MCIA would just purchase fuel trucks for the use of the Air Force. MCIA also replicated the Air Force Hospital and other facilities, mostly for quarters of the officers.
So now, back to the problem at hand. Clearly someone in the DOTC goofed. He should have bid the MCIA airport management with a clean bill, meaning the winner should no longer be made responsible for whatever replication that was required. We shouldn't blame the GMR/Megawide consortium for this snag, which in my book is nothing but a monkey wrench thrown against the development of the new Mactan Airport Terminal.
If you ask me, the easy way for all parties to solve this problem is for the DOTC to give the Philippine Air Force the money for the replication project, then turnover the land to the GMR/Megawide consortium so that this project can finally proceed, while the Air Force can build its facilities when it needs to do so. But then, we don't know who are the unseen hands that are trying to block the progress of this Private Public Partnership project, which is now experiencing an unforeseen delay. Actually, I call this "land mine" part and parcel of the Philippine government's bureaucracy.
At this point, if this snag isn't untangled soon, I suggest that the officials of the GMR/Megawide consortium request a no-holds-barred meeting with the Philippine Air Force chief and DOTC Sec. Emilio Abaya and Pres. Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang so they could untangle this mess. Whether he likes it or not, this PPP would be imperiled by this government snag which nobody wants.
In fact during the 888 News Forum, Mr. Robert "Bobby" Joseph questioned the DOTC and MCIAA why they did not spend part of the P14.4 billion that the GMR/Megawide consortium paid for the 25-year lease of the Mactan International Airport. Mind you, when this deal was hatched and then Senator Serge Osmeña III tried to block this deal, I had a hunch that powerful forces close to the Aquino Regime were moving feverishly to try and block this deal.
This delay in the construction of the new terminal is not going to hurt the Philippine Air Force but it would certainly delay the economic growth of Cebu. I have always said and believed that it was wrong for the MCIAA to leave things in the hands of the DOTC, especially when they were bidding this project, as the DOTC doesn't know much about what we do in Cebu.
- Latest
