MANILA, Philippines — The team of seven conglomerates that recently submitted a proposal to upgrade, operate and maintain the aging Ninoy Aquino International Airport for 15 years confirmed Thursday it has been granted the much sought-after original proponent status, or OPS.
The STAR early last month reported that the so-called “NAIA super consortium” has been awarded the OPS by the Manila International Airport Authority’s board. The P102-billion makeover seeks to transform NAIA into a regional hub that will compete with Singapore’s Changi Airport and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
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The band of conglomerates, which has a combined capitalization of more than P2.2 trillion, is composed of Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, Alliance Global Group Inc., Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corporation, Filinvest Development Corporation, JG Summit Holdings, Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation.
In a disclosure to the stock exchange, JG Summit said the consortium is “very grateful” to the government.
“The NAIA Consortium looks forward to working closely with the [Department of Transportation] and MIAA to progress this initiative. We are committed to see this project through and to follow the proper legal processes,” said Jimbo Reverente, NAIA consortium spokesperson.
“We remain focused on our commitment to deliver to our country a significantly improved NAIA and are prepared to start work immediately after the airport is turned over to the consortium. Our fellow Filipinos can expect a better airport experience as early as the 3rd year from the time we commence rehabilitation work,” Reverente added.
Following the grant of OPS, the NAIA consortium’s proposal will be subject to review and approval by the National Economic and Development Authority Board, which is chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Being the original bidder, the group of tycoons also has the right to match the offers given by other groups via a Swiss challenge. Listed builder Megawide Construction Corp. and its Indian partner, GMR, has submitted a $3-billion, 18-year unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate, operate and maintain NAIA.
Calls on the government to fast-track the approval of offers from the private sector to build and operate more gateways outside the capital have intensified after a Chinese plane skidded onto the grass and blocked the NAIA runway in August, and prompted the cancellation of around 165 international and local flights.
Seeing the deterioration of the Manila airport, the Duterte administration has been entertaining proposals to rehabilitate NAIA and build more provincial airports.
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