Laoag, Cotabato airports set for upgrades

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will spend nearly P100 million to design the upgrade of airports in Laoag and Cotabato, as the agency pushes on to improve gateways in the provinces.

In requests for expressions of interest, the DOTr said that it is looking for technical consultants to deliver the detailed engineering design (DED) for the upgrade of Laoag International Airport and M’lang Airport.

The DOTr will spend P67.88 million for the conduct of DED for the Laoag International Airport Development Project involving the construction of airside, navigational and landside facilities.

The DOTr will accept eligibility documents until Nov. 3. Once awarded to a consultant, the DED must be handed over to the DOTr within 270 calendar days.

Under the Marcos administration, the Laoag International Airport has received funding attention from the government, as it is being touted as the gateway to the north of Luzon. Laoag serves as the entry point to Ilocos Region, where the Marcos family hails from.

Likewise, the DOTr will invest P26.74 million for the completion of DED for the M’lang Airport Development Project, mainly for the establishment of landside facilities.

The DOTr will receive eligibility documents until Nov. 3 and will give the winning bidder a total of 180 calendar days to turn over the DED.

For the evaluation of both contracts, the DOTr will employ a rating system between one and 100, with 100 being the highest, in judging the eligibility of the interested parties.

Broken down, the agency will allocate 50 points for the qualifications of personnel designated to the project; 30 points for the applicable experience of the bidder; and 20 points for job capacity. A company will qualify for shortlisting only if they reach the minimum score of 70 points.

For 2023, the DOTr expects the public and private sectors to complete P1 trillion worth of airport projects. These undertakings are focused mostly on provincial airports that play a crucial role in boosting trade and travel in the regions.

The Laoag International Airport, for instance, will also undergo a P577.08-million upgrade consisting of the asphalt overlay of its runway and the construction of the DOTr’s Project Management Office in the region.

On the other hand, the M’lang Airport is scheduled to be operational by 2025, and it is expected to become the main entry point to Central Mindanao.