THE DETAILED evaluation of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the rehabilitation of Francisco Bangoy International Airport or Davao International Airport is now ongoing.
Ma. Cynthia Hernandez, executive director of the Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines, said that if the evaluation finishes on target, the potential investor will be awarded the original proponent status by 2026.
Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao, Southern Luzon International Airport in Albay, and the Sayak Airport in Siargao are included in the Bundled Airports Project, which involves the development, operation, and maintenance.
The consortium is headed by the Gokongweis and Gotianuns through JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corp. and Filinvest Infra-Solutions Ventures Inc., and joined by the Asian Infrastructure and Management Corp. in the proposal.
The primary goal of the project is to develop, operate, and maintain the DIA, BIA, and IAO, some of the busiest airports in the Philippines, to establish an efficient and modern transport system for the Davao Region, Bicol Region, and CARAGA Region, respectively.
The DIA and BIA have a 30-year concession period, while the IAO has a 15-year concession period.
The proposal necessitates the construction, development, installation, and subsequent operation and maintenance of the airports’ equipment, facilities, and systems. It will be implemented under a Rehabilitate-Operate-Transfer arrangement, as outlined in the PPP Code.
The Philippine Regional Airports Consortium filed the PPP proposal with a total project cost of P16.048 billion.
“The new process in the PPP Code, before they get original proponent status, there will be a negotiation as far as terms are concerned,” she said during the PPP Desk launch last week.
The National Economic Development Authority will give the go signal after the private proponent is awarded the original proponent status. After which, the project will go through comparative selection, where other proponents can challenge the original proponent status.
“Meron palang gustong gumawa ng project, they can actually challenge the original proponent,” Hernandez said.
