NEDA-ICC tackles rehab proposal of NAIA Consortium next month

MANILA, Philippines — The super consortium of seven conglomerates seeking to rehabilitate the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is one step closer from taking off with a possible approval from the National Economic and Development Authority Board - Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC) next month.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA chief Ernesto Pernia said the NAIA Consortium’s P102-billion proposal would be taken up in the next ICC meeting scheduled next month.

Once given the endorsement by the ICC, the proposal will then have to secure one last approval from the NEDA board, which is chaired by President Duterte, before it can proceed to the Swiss challenge process.

The revised NAIA Consortium offer was cleared and endorsed last Aug. 2 by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to the ICC after it was found compliant with the so called Clark template.

The unsolicited proposal was previously endorsed by the DOTr to the ICC, but was returned to its proponent early last month following a decision to require all proponents of unsolicited airport projects to pattern their concession agreements after the operation and maintenance contract of the Clark International Airport.

The NAIA Consortium, composed of Aboitiz InfraCapital, 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., has been granted the original proponent status (OPS) for its unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate, upgrade, expand, operate and maintain the country’s main international gateway.

With the OPS, the consortium has the right to match better offers submitted by other proponents once a Swiss challenge is undertaken for the project.

The consortium’s proposal involves the expansion and interconnection of the existing terminals of NAIA, upgrading of its airside facilities, development of commercial facilities to increase airline and airport efficiencies enhancement of passenger comfort and experience, and elevating the status of the airport.

Under the revised proposal, the consortium intends to undertake in three phases upgrades and rehabilitation works at the gateway during the first four years upon getting clearance to start work.

Back in September last year, the consortium said it can increase NAIA’s capacity to 47 million by 2020 and to 65 million by 2022 should they get clearance to start work late that year.