Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 25) — The Department of Transportation (DoTr) on Tuesday said it was looking forward to the rehabilitation project set for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) earlier approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
DOTr. secretary Jaime Bautista along with other Cabinet officials were at a briefing where they discussed issues raised by president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the State of the Nation Address.
Bautista said they see the ball rolling by next month.
“We’re expecting that by August we will be able to publish the terms of reference so we can invite prospective bidders,” he said.
With that we are hoping by end of October or early November we will be able to accept proposals. And by the end of the year, we can already award the project to the winning bidder, and a few months later, after financial closing, the concession agreement can be started,” the transport chief added.
The NEDA Board earlier greenlit the ₱170 billion project which will be undertaken by the DOTr and the Manila International Airport Authority.
NEDA chief Arsenio Balisacan earlier said the project is aimed at addressing longstanding issues at the airport, among them the inadequate capacity of passenger terminal buildings and restricted aircraft movement.Balisacan said the project is known as the solicited Ninoy Aquino International Airport PPP (public-private partnership) project. A solicited proposal is a project based on a specific request from the proponent, in this case the government.Bautista added another project the agency is implementing involves the country’s railways.This includes the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway from Clark Airport to Calamba, Laguna.We’re hoping that we should be able to complete this by 2028,” he said, adding all contract packages have been awarded and that construction was in “full swing.Bautista also said actual boring for the tunnel to be used for the country’s first subway system has started.We’re expecting that the tunnel from Valenzuela to Quirino Avenue will be completed by the end of the year,” he said.
