Ceremonial Contract Signing
Mactan-Cebu International Airport New Passenger Terminal Building

Short Message
by Executive Director Cosette Canilao
Mactan-Cebu International Airport
May 31, 2014

Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Evening!

Allow me to begin this short message by thanking all the organizers for inviting us to witness this momentous event. It is really fulfilling to see all the hard work and dedication come to reality right before our eyes.

Today, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the GMR-Megawide Consortium will seal the deal for the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) New Passenger Terminal Building project, our 7th project under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program.

With the very transparent process we had, the world knows the colorful story behind this project; and we all know it was not an easy experience. Together, we faced several challenges along the way, and each one of them we courageously faced up until this very moment.

As the champion of PPPs in the country, the PPP Center is more than proud of this successful tender. Anchored in the pillars of good governance, the government stood its ground and upheld the rules that guided the bidding process. This sends a very clear signal to our investors that if you do business in the Philippines, you are certain to get a fair and square deal.

And so it is but proper to recognize all the men and women behind this historic success.

To the DOTC, we salute you for the continued commitment to deliver critical PPP projects in the pipeline despite the many, many criticisms you have been receiving. We look forward to working with you on the next set of projects that we will be tendering soon.

To the project’s Prequalification, Bidding, and Awards Committee (PBAC), your commitment to diligence, transparency, and fairness in the whole PPP process is truly commendable. I am confident that all decisions rendered can withstand any challenge, as all of them are for the best interest of the general public.

To the transaction advisers we hired through the Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF), Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Pvt. Ltd., thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us.

To all the bidders who participated in this project, your very positive response as evidenced by your well prepared bids has been very encouraging. This is a validation of your solid trust and confidence in the integrity of the PPP Program and the due diligence we painstakingly do at every step of project preparation, review, approvals, and procurement processes.

I also congratulate and thank the GMR-Megawide Consortium for winning the bid and accepting the challenge to partner with the government in doing this project. Your experience and expertise will serve as the foundation in modernizing the country’s second busiest airport.

Finally and most importantly, I congratulate all our fellow Cebuanos and the general public, both supporters and critics alike. This project is for you. This is another great leap in the realization of our shared vision of having high-quality infrastructure projects that promote inclusive growth.

Daghang salamat ug maayong gabii sa inyong tanan!