The “NAIA Consortium” has been granted Original Proponent Status (OPS) by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) for its P102-billion proposal to rehabilitate, upgrade, expand, operate, and maintain the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for 15 years.

The NAIA consortium is composed top conglomerates, Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, Alliance Global Group, Inc., Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corporation, Filinvest Development Corporation, JG Summit Holdings, Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation.

This OPS is the first step in the NAIA receiving an upgrade to improve the passenger experience for Manila’s international gateway airport.

The unsolicited proposal, which was submitted to the DOTr and to the MIAA last February 12, 2018, aims to transform NAIA into a regional airport hub and will expand its capacity to meet the anticipated growth in passenger traffic from the strong economies of the Philippines and the region.

“We are very grateful to the DOTr and MIAA for granting the consortium the OPS as it triggers a series of steps we need to work on to make this project happen,” said NAIA consortium Spokesperson Jimbo Reverente.

He added that, “the NAIA Consortium looks forward to working closely with the DOTr and MIAA to progress this initiative. We are committed to see this project through and to follow the proper legal processes.”

Reverente said “we remain focused on our commitment to deliver to our country a significantly improved NAIA and are prepared to start work immediately after the airport is turned over to the consortium.”

He assured that, “our fellow Filipinos can expect a better airport experience as early as the third year from the time we commence rehabilitation work.”

The NAIA project supports the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program with its plan to develop NAIA into a world-class facility and a regional air transport hub.

This will be done by upgrading its airside, landside, and air navigation support — building on the gains already achieved by the DOTr in terms of improving the traffic of aircraft movements on its runways.

The proposal involves expanding and interconnecting the existing terminals of NAIA, upgrading airside facilities, developing commercial facilities to increase airline and airport efficiencies, enhancing passenger comfort and experience, and elevating the status of NAIA as the country’s premier international gateway.

These improvements will be implemented by the consortium with minimal disruption to ongoing airport operations.

By James A. Loyola