Aboitiz gets OPS for Laguindingan

MANILA, Philippines — Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. (AIC), the infrastructure unit of the Aboitiz Group, has obtained the green light from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) for its proposal to operate the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental, the second regional gateway project in which the company has gained an upper hand.

Transportation Undersecretary for aviation Manuel Tamayo told The STAR that the CAAP, following a board meeting last week, gave AIC the original proponent status (OPS) for its P42.7 billion unsolicited proposal to upgrade, operate, maintain, and expand the Laguindingan Airport.

AIC submitted its unsolicited proposal for the Laguindingan Airport to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on

Aug. 10 last year.

AIC earlier said it is partnering with an international airport operator for project which it hopes to see taking off within the year.

Aside from working with an experienced international airport operator for the Laguindingan Airport project, the company has also tapped design and engineering firm Arup as consultant for the technical studies and masterplan of the proposal.

Securing an OPS gives the company the right to match offers from other parties when a Swiss challenge is conducted for the project.

AIC has also secured an OPS from the DOTr for the Bohol-Panglao International Airport on Sept. 3, 2018.

Apart from the regional airports, AIC is also a member of the NAIA Consortium which was granted OPS by the Manila International Airport Authority on Sept. 10, 2018 to rehabilitate, operate, and expand the Ninoy Aquino International  Airport (NAIA).

The NAIA consortium, intends to pour in P102 billion to rehabilitate, upgrade, expand, operate, and maintain the aging NAIA.

In support of the government’s Build Build Build program and as part of its commitment to advance the lives of Filipinos via infrastructure development, the Aboitiz Group has refocused its strategy to the infrastructure priorities of the country, such as water and transport projects.