Work on Airport Terminal 2 ‘to start’ in May

But MCIAA General Manager Nigel Paul Villarete says the construction site might not be ready until six months from now

THE GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) yesterday said they can start construction of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 (T2) by May if the contractor of the replication project will make good its promise to turn over the site in three months.

GMCAC president Louie Ferrer said that by that time, his company will incur more losses since they were supposed to start construction last Jan. 31.

Under the contract, MCIAA was supposed to turn over to GMCAC the site for T2 on that day.

However, the MCIAA, through is contractor Pamatong Grandby Joint Venture, has just started the replication project of which 17 structures of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will be reconstructed and replicated in another area of the Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base before these are demolished.

Ferrer said that Pamatong Grandby informed them last month that they would turn over the site within three months.

“We have foreigners assigned for this project but they cannot start the (T2) project yet,” Ferrer said.

In a separate press statement, MCIAA General Manager Nigel Paul

Villarete said that airport stakeholders are cooperating to achieve earlier completion of T2.

Coordination

However, he said the site for T2 may be available in six months, and not three months.

Villarete said the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the MCIAA, together with PAF, are coordinating with GMCAC to come up with an interim solution to ensure construction of T2 will start as soon as possible.

He said they can’t deliver the construction site while the MCIAA and PAF are still undertaking the replication of the PAF facilities in another area of the air base.

“This is not the construction start date yet, however, as both parties have to achieve their conditions precedent as enumerated in the CA (contract agreement),” Villarete said.

He said they are finalizing an alternative solution to allow portions of the project land to be available to GMCAC, while retaining sufficient operational areas for PAF.

“This, while we are fast-tracking the early completion of the PAF facilities directly affected by the construction of T2. We are targeting to complete these in six months so that GMCAC can have full access to the ground where T2 will be standing,” Villarete said.