Other offers sought for key airport project

THE Transportation department is seeking challenges to Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc.’s unsolicited bid to upgrade and operate the Laguindingan International Airport in Misamis Oriental.

The Laguindingan International Airport PPP Project was earlier accepted by the department and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines under provisions of Republic Act 11966 or the “PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) Code of the Philippines.”

The challenge involves the submission of comparative proposals to finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain the airport under a 30-year concession.

“The comparative challenge process will be conducted pursuant to and in accordance with the procurement rules and procedures applicable for unsolicited proposals set out in the PPP Code,” the Transportation department said.

Prospective challengers will be given access to a virtual data room upon payment of a nonrefundable participation fee of P250,000 or $4,500.

“The implementing agencies reserve the right to reject any or all bids, declare a failure of the comparative challenge, modify the comparative challenge process documents or any aspect thereof anytime and/or not award the project for any reason whatsoever and without need of any explanation,” the department added.

The Laguindingan airport, which opened in June 15, 2013, has a 7,184-square meter passenger terminal building that can accommodate 1.6 million passengers a year or 2,000 passengers daily.

It currently has a single 2,100-by-45-meter runway which can accommodate four takeoffs

and landings an hour.

The runway is equipped with an instrument landing system, making it capable of night landings.

The airport serves the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Marawi, as well as the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon.

The airport project is one of the government’s flagship infrastructure projects. It aims to enhance connectivity to the Northern Mindanao region and also seeks to define a strategy for new airlines and connections, including development of international flights, the expansion of airport capacity, the introduction of sustainable concepts, and enhancing passenger experience.