Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 19) — Some of the country’s conglomerates that have formed a consortium said they hope to secure headway this year for its ₱267-billion unsolicited proposal to modernize and prepare the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for what they called post-pandemic “explosion in travel demand.”
The Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC) said Monday that it already submitted its proposal to transportation and aviation authorities.The group is composed of Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corporation, Alliance Global – Infracorp Development Inc., Filinvest Development Corporation, and JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corporation.Its technical partner is Global Infrastructure Partners, a known company behind international gateways such as London Gatwick Airport, Sydney Airport, and Edinburgh Airport.In a statement, the mega consortium bared its multi-phased master plan:Phase 1 – Boost NAIA’s capacity to 54 million passengers per year from the current 31 million. Reduce queuing times. Implementation to take place over the first two years. Phase 2 – Further increase capacity to 62.5 million travelers a year by 2028 through the development of the terminal floor area. Air field facilities to be established as well as improvements in cross-terminal transportation.Phase 3 – Expand NAIA’s capacity to 70 million passengers annually by 2048.The MIAC said it has completed its technical, economic, financial, environmental, social and governance studies.The Manila International Airport Consortium recognizes the immense task of transforming NAIA to meet the exponentially growing demands of Mega Manila air travel, not only in the here and now but also in the future,” said Kevin Tan, chairman and president of Alliance Global – InfraCorp Development, Inc.It is because of this that the members of the consortium have pooled together its significant resources, technical expertise, and operational experience to put forward a NAIA Masterplan,” Tan added.The consortium wants to have a 25-year concession period, saying this would give it enough time to “invest extensively in NAIA’s infrastructure and technology as well as to institutionalize the superior level of service expected of an international gateway.Out of the ₱267 billion, ₱211 billion would be earmarked for capital investments.The consortium said it is ready to shell out ₱57 billion for the first five years, with the remaining ₱154 billion to be spent over the remainder of the 25-year period.The group is also offering an upfront concession payment of ₱57 billion to beef up the government’s fiscal position, said BJ Sebastian, JG Summit Holdings, Inc. senior advisor.The group said the national government would also realize gains of about ₱280 billion during the concession period from revenue sharing and taxes.If the DOTr approves the MIAC proposal, it would invite other groups to challenge the original proponent.The government is operating NAIA through the Manila International Airport Authority or MIAA.
Local tycoons previously proposed to rehabilitate the main gateway. The latest was by a super consortium, whose members are also part of MIAC, but failed to gain progress under the previous administration.
