Posted on
April 18, 2013 11:49:34 PM [ BusinessWorld Online ]
THE PROJECT
to expand and operate the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) passenger
terminal has attracted a prospective investor from Malaysia ahead of the Monday
deadline to submit documents to qualify for the venture’s auction, the
Transportation department said in a statement yesterday.
The latest
list showed Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd. has joined 11 others in purchasing
prequalification documents for the public-private partnership (PPP) project.
The 11 others
that had purchased such documents earlier were: Metro Pacific Investments
Corp.; JG Summit Holdings, Inc.; AboitizLand, Inc.; Filinvest Development
Corp.; MacroAsia Corp.; San Miguel Corp.; Megawide Construction Corp.; Prime
Power Holdings Corp.; GMR Infrastructure Ltd.; First Philippine Holdings, Inc.;
and SM Investments Corp.
MPIC has
teamed up with JG Summit, which controls budget carrier Cebu Pacific, while
Megawide has partnered with India-based airport builder GMF Infrastructure.
Cebu-based
AboitizLand has partnered with Ayala Corp. Both firms have tapped US-based ADC
& HAS Airports Inc. as airport operator.
Submission
and opening of prequalification documents will be on Monday next week, while
bidding will be on August 2.
The P17.5-billion
project covers the construction of a new terminal beside the existing building,
rehabilitation of the existing facility, as well as operation and maintenance
of the entire airport once passenger facilities have been expanded.
The
department said it was confident that the airport project will generate the
same level of interest as the Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS). “We are
optimistic that the MCIA project will generate the same level of interest from
major local and international companies as what we saw from the AFCS project,”
the Transportation department said.
The
P1.72-billion AFCS, which involves a common ticketing system for Metro Rail
Transit Line 3 and Light Transit Lines 1 and 2, has attracted nine consortia
during. Parties that will be qualified to take part in the bidding for this
project will be known by next month.
The
department said it expects foreign airport operators to take part in the MCIA
project auction “because of the lack of local expertise in that area.”
“Based on our
requirements, Philippine companies will have to partner with established
airport operators from other countries,” the statement read. “This will benefit
our domestic air transport industry, as technology transfer will give local
players the opportunity to learn from more advanced and more experienced
airport operators.”
Only three
PPP deals have been auctioned off since this government thrust was launched in
the fourth quarter of 2010.
The
P1.96-billion Daang Hari-Southern Luzon Expressway link was awarded to Ayala
Corp. in December 2011. The P16.42-billion, two-segment first phase of the
School Infrastructure Project was awarded in September last year to the BF
Corp.-Riverbanks Development Corp. as well as Citicore Investments Holdings,
Inc.-Megawide consortia. The P15.86-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Expressway project was bagged by San Miguel Corp. in an auction just last
Monday. Issuance of the notice of award and contract signing is set for next
month. -- Cliff Harvey C. Venzon
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