Megawide sets sights on other projects after NAIA rejection

MANILA, Philippines — Megawide Construction Corp. has expressed willingness to move on from its proposal to upgrade and rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) as it appears that  government plans will not include its P109-billion offer moving forward.

“We are awaiting formal communication from the government so that we know what our next steps will be. We already submitted our motion for reconsideration but if it is still not enough to meet government requirements, we will respect their decision and move on to other projects that have equal significance,” a Megawide representative said.

“We truly wish the government and other interested parties success in the transformation of NAIA. We sincerely hope for its redevelopment and soon – it cannot just be a band-aid solution, but a real, first-world transformation that will benefit Filipinos and the entire Philippine airport system. Filipinos deserve a first-world NAIA and first-world national gateway,” the representative said.

A source told The STAR the revocation of Megawide’s original proponent status (OPS) for the NAIA enhancement project stays following the Manila International Airport (MIAA) board’s meeting last Thursday.

This despite Megawide’s submission to the MIAA last month of a motion for reconsideration on the OPS it was previously awarded for its P109-billion unsolicited proposal to upgrade and transform the country’s main international gateway.

The source said it appears that Megawide’s unsolicited offer has reached the end of the line and that the government is looking to move on.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III last Tuesday said the government is ready to undertake the upgrade of NAIA – although not as grand as what the private sector is proposing – if investor offers to do so will not meet government demands.

Two more companies – Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc. and San Miguel Corp. – have also submitted their respective unsolicited proposals for NAIA should the government decide to engage negotiations with the private sector anew.

The government earlier terminated negotiations with a consortium of conglomerates for the NAIA rehabilitation project.

MIAA general manager Ed Monreal said since the decision to revoke Megawide’s OPS was a MIAA board decision, any move to re-award the OPS to the company would require board approval.