NAIA consortium’s P102-B proposal gains ground

A CONSORTIUM composed of seven of the country’s biggest conglomerates has been given original proponent status (OPS) by the government for its P102-billion proposal to rehabilitate and expand the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

“We are very grateful to the DoTr (Department of Transportation) and MIAA (Manila International Airport Authority) for granting the consortium the OPS as it triggers a series of steps we need to work on to make this project happen. The NAIA Consortium looks forward to working closely with the DoTr and MIAA to progress this initiative,” the consortium’s spokesperson Jose Emmanuel P. Reverente was quoted as saying.

The NAIA consortium is composed of Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc.; AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp.; Alliance Global Group, Inc.; Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp.; Filinvest Development Corp.; JG Summit Holdings, Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. Changi Airports International Private Ltd. is the technical partner.

The consortium is seeking to rehabilitate, upgrade, expand, operate and maintain NAIA over a 15-year period. It aims to boost NAIA’s capacity from the current 30.5 million annual passengers to 47 million in two years and 65 million in four years.

“Our fellow Filipinos can expect a better airport experience as early as the third year from the time we commence rehabilitation work,” Mr. Reverente said.

After securing OPS, the proposal will now be evaluated by the National Economic and Development Authority’s Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC). Then it will be endorsed to the NEDA Board, led by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, for final approval.

As an unsolicited proposal, the NAIA consortium’s project will have to undergo a Swiss challenge, where other companies can make competing offers, while giving the original proponent the right to match them.

“DoTr is working on submitting our proposal to the NEDA-ICC,” Mr. Reverente said.

In a statement on Thursday, the DoTr said it is finalizing the terms of reference and completing the documentation needed before submitting the consortium’s proposal to the NEDA-ICC.

“We are targeting to complete everything, including the Swiss challenge within the year,” DoTr Communications Director Goddes Hope O. Libiran said.

The NAIA consortium submitted to the government on Feb. 13 a P350-billion unsolicited proposal for the rehabilitation of NAIA to turn it into a regional hub, with a concession of 35 years.

After comments from the DoTr, the consortium revised its proposal by removing the additional runway and trimming the duration of the concession to 15 years.

Earlier this year, the tandem of Megawide Construction Corp. and Indian company GMR Infrastructure Ltd. also submitted a $3 billion, 18-year unsolicited proposal. US-based The MITRE Corp. is its technical partner. —