Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC) has won the 30-year contract to construct and operate the P4.526 billion Bohol-Panglao International Airport.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) issued the notice of award and post-award requirements for the public-private partnership (PPP) project on November 18, after the DOTr secretary and CAAP Board on November 15 approved the Pre-qualifications, Bids and Awards Committee’s resolution recommending to award the project to the original proponent, AIC.
The award comes after no comparative proposals were received by the deadline for submission on November 11. The DOTr and CAAP last July invited firms to submit comparative proposals to finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain the airport project under a 30-year concession period.
DOTr undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Roberto Lim earlier said if awarded within the year after no challengers submitted comparative proposals, turnover of the airport will be in the latter part of the first quarter or second quarter of next year.
The airport expansion project aims to increase the maximum passenger throughput from two million to at least 2.5 million passengers per year at the project’s start and to at least 3.9 million by the end of the project.
Under the notice of award and as part of post-award requirements, AIC is required to set up a special purpose company to undertake the project.
The Bohol-Panglao Airport, which replaced the old airport in Tagbilaran City, in 2018, is dubbed as the country’s first eco-airport, featuring an environmentally sustainable structure and green technology built to the highest international standards.
It serves as the gateway to Tagbilaran City and the rest of mainland Bohol.
Aside from the Bohol-Panglao Airport, AIC just last September was awarded the P12.748 billion contract for the upgrade, expansion, operation and maintenance of Laguindingan International Airport. AIC also submitted an unsolicited proposal for the project.
Further, three other airport PPP projects are expected to be awarded next year. These are the Iloilo, Kalibo, and Puerto Princesa airports.
Lim said they have ongoing negotiations with the proponent of Iloilo International Airport and will soon start negotiations with the proponent of Kalibo Airport. For Puerto Princesa Airport, the unsolicited proposal is under initial evaluation by DOTr, according to the Public Private Partnership Center website.
In 2019, the Villar Group’s Prime Asset Ventures, Inc. submitted an unsolicited proposal for the improvement and expansion of the Iloilo International Airport, while AIC in 2023 also submitted an unsolicited proposal to develop and improve the same airport.
Prime Asset Ventures also submitted an unsolicited proposal for the P10.24 billion Puerto Princesa International Airport project.
Mega7 Construction Corp., meanwhile, submitted an unsolicited proposal for the P3.62 billion upgrade, maintenance, and operation of Kalibo International Airport in Aklan.
Aside from unsolicited proposals, DOTr next year is set to launch the competitive tender for the Davao International Airport solicited PPP project.
By Roumina Pablo
November 25, 2024
