Gov’t returns NAIA Consortium offer

DOTr firm on replicating Clark template

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation has returned to the consortium of seven conglomerates its unsolicited offer to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) following  a decision to require all proponents of airport projects to pattern their draft concession agreements after the operation and maintenance deal for Clark International Airport.

The development becomes the latest addition to the series of negotiations between the government and the NAIA Consortium, which submitted a P102-billion proposal to rehabilitate, upgrade, expand, operate and maintain  the NAIA for 15 years.

“They are required to pattern the concession agreement after the one signed with the North Luzon Airport Consortium for the operations and maintenance  of the Clark International Airport,” Transportation Undersecretary for planning Ruben Reinoso said.

Last May, however, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade has accepted the revised proposal of the super consortium after its offer was found to be aligned with the template of the concession agreement for the Clark International Airport . 

Sought to clarify, Reinoso said the previous submission of the group that was accepted by the DOTr was just the “same in principle” with the Clark contract.

“The principles were aligned before. But what is asked of them now, is to have the exact provisions. The explanation of the proponent before was the configuration of NAIA with Clark is different so it cannot be exactly the same. But now, we want to have the same, exact configurations and provisions,” Reinoso said.

Tugade said last week that he has ordered the return to the respective proponents all unsolicited proposals for regional airport projects which have been granted the original proponent status (OPS) to pattern their draft concession agreements after Clark international airport’s operation and maintenance contract.

Tugade said the move seeks to cut short discussions that usually take place in finalizing the  terms of the concession agreement.

“That is my position. I am insisting this to make things faster. Everything should just be the same so that the position that is good for the government becomes constant,” Tugade said.

“What I want for all projects that are unsolicited proposals for airports   is to   pattern it after Clark so that there will be no more discussions. When I say that,  I mean pattern it with the conditions, assumptions, and language. Just change the financial numbers because of course, airports have different sizes,” he said.

The NAIA consortium is composed of some of the country’s biggest conglomerates, which are Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Alliance Global Group Inc., Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp., Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

The group’s proposal involves expanding and interconnecting the existing terminals of NAIA, upgrading airside facilities, developing commercial facilities to increase airline and airport efficiencies, enhancing passenger comfort and experience and elevating the status of NAIA as the country’s premier international gateway.