Back to feasibility studies for reg’l airports project

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) wants to start this year the conduct of new feasibility studies for regional airports in Davao, Iloilo, Laguindingan and Bacolod.

Manuel Antonio Tamayo, undersecretary for the aviation sector, said in a text message the plan is to start the feasibility studies for the four airports this year.

He said earlier there is a need to renew the feasibility studies as they are only valid for five years.

The previous feasibility studies for the regional airports have already lapsed the five-year period.

The development, as well as operations and maintenance of the four airports along with the New Bohol (Panglao) Airport were initially offered for bidding under the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme during the previous administration.

It was offered in bundles with the first one composed of the Iloilo Airport and BacolodSilay Airport, and the second bundle covering the Davao Airport, New Bohol (Panglao) Airport and the Laguindingan Airport.

Groups pre-qualified by the previous administration to bid for the regional airports PPP are the Philippine Airports Consortium, Maya Consortium, GMR-Megawide Consortium, San Miguel Holdings Corp.-Incheon International Airport Corp. Consortium, and Filinvest-JATCO-Sojitz Consortium.

In November 2016, the National Economic and Development Authority Board approved the DOTr’s proposal to unbundle the airport projects to expedite selection and award.

The government has terminated the auction process as it intends to pursue the development of the airports using funds from the government or through official development assistance.