BCDA plans bid for PPFZ dev’t

MANILA, Philippines - The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is planning to bid out the construction contract for the development of the Poro Point Freeport Zone (PPFZ) in La Union early next year, an official said.

“We’re going to bid out the first phase of development for Poro Point...in the first quarter of next year,” BCDA president and chief executive officer Arnel Paciano Casanova told reporters in a chance interview.

He said the state-run firm can plan for the bidding of the construction contract after it approved the master development plan for the 146-hectare PPFZ submitted by Palafox Associates on Oct. 16.

The master plan seeks to develop PPFZ to attract investors to locate in the area.

The plan likewise includes the improvement and upgrade of the San Fernando airport and development of a terminal shopping mall.

The development of the San Fernando Airport will be offered for bidding under the government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program.

The PPP Center has approved funding support worth P69 million for the conduct of the feasibility study for the project.

“The PPP Center is already in the process of engaging the transaction adviser so our target for the Poro Point airport development is middle of 2015,” Casanova said.

The development of the Poro Point San Fernando Airport is envisioned to establish an airport that can accommodate direct international flights and serve as a gateway to La Union, Baguio and other tourist spots in the region.

The airport is also seen to provide a link and complement operations of the Clark International Airport.

As for the terminal shopping mall, the BCDA is looking at having one similar to Singapore’s Changi Airport, although at a smaller scale.

Apart from the development of PPFZ, the BCDA is also pursuing another project.

Casanova said the BCDA recently conducted the bidding for the lease and development of the 5.2-hectare Pamayanang Diego Silang lot in Brgy. Usuan in Taguig City.

He said of the three real estate firms that purchased the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the lease and development of the property, only one submitted a bid.

The three firms which bought the TOR were Filinvest Land Inc., R-II Builders Inc. and Robinsons Land Corp.

Casanova said the BCDA is currently conducting post-qualification of the submitted bid.

The lease and development contract for the project, he added, is expected to be awarded next month, after the BCDA board conducts its meeting scheduled on Nov. 6.