MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte is more inclined to convert a former US military facility in Cavite into a domestic airport rather than develop it as an international airport facility.
In an exclusive interview with The STAR Wednesday, Duterte expressed preference to develop Sangley Point as a domestic airport and keeping the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as an international gateway.
Likewise, Duterte said he is also amenable to transferring all general aviation activities to Sangley Point and constructing a third runway for NAIA.
He said Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade is already in the process of studying the feasibility and cost of a third runway which could be completed in six months.
The President said he would prefer unsolicited proposals or even a Swiss Challenge, provided the proponents submit a detailed proposal.
He added he is not really amenable to conducting public biddings for infrastructure projects, revealing his suspicions over so-called “lowest bid” proposals.
“I prefer quality bids,”he said, explaining that so-called “lowest bid” offers actually provide an opportunity for corruption.
“I will disregard (low bids)…I really don’t want low bids,” he stressed.
Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corp. had previously submitted a $10- billion unsolicited proposal to t former president Benigno Aquino III to develop the former Cavite US military facility into an alternative international airport.
However, Ang’s offer was not seriously studied by then former Trasportation Secretary Joseph Abaya as they were then also studying the possibility of utilizing the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark as an alternative since it is already operating as a low-budget international airport facility.
Duterte acknowledged the alternative possibility of Clark but only on the condition that a high-speed railway system or a “dedicated” highway would be constructed to facilitate travel to Pampanga where the airport is located.