Megawide keen on Sangley airport project

MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. is keen on joining the bidding for the proposed P553-million Sangley Airport Development Project of the government.

The builder of the new Mactan-Cebu International Airport said it will evaluate the terms of the project and will most likely bid with its existing joint venture partner, Bangalore-based airport operator GMR Infrastructure Ltd.

“Yes, we’re interested to look into the project,” GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. ( GMCAC) President Manuel Louie B. Ferrer said in a mobile phone reply when asked whether the firm is interested in the bidding.

The government last Thursday held a pre- bid conference for the Sangley airport project in Cavite, which was attended by representatives of D. M. Wenceslao and Associates, Inc., Emeco and Partner, BSP Construction Company, Grandby Trading and Construction, Solar Surveying Corp., JD Legaspi Construction, CAVDEAL, San R Mining and Construction Corp., Tokwing Construction Corp., MR7 Corp., C.B. Garay and Holcim, a list from the Department of Transportation (DoTr) showed.

In its Dec. 28, 2016 invitation to prequalify to bid published in newspapers, the DoTr said bid documents will be issued until Jan. 23, which will also be the date for opening of bids. The approved budget for the contract is P552.867 million — included in the P3.35-trillion budget for 2017.

Phase 1 of the Sangley Airport Development project — with a project duration of 270 days — involves the rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of the existing 2.4-kilometer runway, as well as the construction of ramp, drainage system, four hangars with a floor area of roughly 1,600 square meters (sq.m.) each, construction of an 800 sq.m. passenger terminal building and with offices and vehicular parking area and other building facilities.

The DoTr said the project will transfer general aviation services from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Sangley “to immediately decongest” air traffic in the country’s main gateway.

“This is not in consistent with any plan — if ever there’s a development of a bigger airport later on... The materials can be easily taken out once there’s a bigger development. We’re just doing this because we have an immediate need, and if there are other proposals, they can submit,” DoTr Spokesperson Cherie F. Mercado said in a recent interview.

Megawide also earlier said it is interested in other airport deals of the government including the P74.6-billion public-private partnership (PPP) project to upgrade the NAIA and the development of five regional airports recently unbundled by the government.

“It’s easier for us since we’re already in the airports sector, we’re looking at all [airport projects] since we’re already in the airports sector,” Mr. Ferrer, who is also chief marketing officer of Megawide, added.