Original proponent status eyed for airport proposals
Credit to Author: LISBET K. ESMAEL| Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2019 16:17:20 +0000
The Department of Transportation (DoTr) hopes to soon award original proponent status (OPS) to three conglomerates looking to develop regional airports.
Unsolicited proposals were received by the government from Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc., Villar Group and Udenna Infrastructure Corp. to develop and operate the Laguindingan Airport, Iloilo International Airport, and Bacolod-Silay Airport respectively, DoTr Undersecretary for Aviation Manuel Tamayo said.
“We hope to issue OPS upon approval of the board,” he said after an event last week. Tamayo said a board meeting would be held on February 11.
Tamayo said Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. had offered to develop and operate Laguindingan Airport which is located in Misamis Oriental, and accommodates around 2 million flyers every year. In September 2018, its unit Aboitiz InfaCapital, Inc. (AIC) achieved a major leap for its unsolicited proposal for the new Bohol airport after the government granted it the OPS.
Meanwhile, Tamayo also said the Villar Group was eyeing to operate and expand the Iloilo International Airport in Cabanatuan, Iloilo, which offers capacity of 1.6 million passenger and 11,500 tons of cargo annually. However, the Villar Group’s proposal still lacks pertinent documents to proceed, he said.
Another proposal came from Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, Tamayo said. Eyeing to further boost his portfolio, Uy’s Udenna Infrastructure Corp. offered to lead the maintenance, operation, and development of Bacolod-Silay Airport.
Once the DoTr granted the OPS, the private companies still need to undergo Swiss challenge where other groups can contest their proposals.
The government has been pushing for the development of more airports across the country to decongest Metro Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
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