The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is seeking bidders to take over the operations and maintenance (O&M) of six airports with a combined project cost of P116.23 billion.
The six airports are the Davao International Airport (P40.57 billion), Iloilo International Airport (P30.4 billion), Bacolod-Silay International Airport (P20.26 billion), Laguindingan Airport (P14.62 billion), Puerto Princesa Airport (P5.81 billion), and New Bohol (Panglao) Airport (P4.57 billion).
In a bid bulletin, DOTC said the projects are aimed at improving services and enhancing the landside and airside facilities of the key regional air hubs through concession agreements with the private sector.
DOTC added that traffic at these airports has either exceeded or is nearing their design capacity. This and the anticipated influx of a growing number of domestic and international passengers in the years to come “make the fast and proactive development of these airports crucial,” it said.
For the Bacolod-Silay, Davao, Iloilo, and Laguindingan airport projects, the private sector proponent will take over O&M of the airport; undertake immediate expansion of the passenger terminal building, apron, and other airside and landside facilities; and conduct any capacity upgrade required to cater to future demand throughout the contractual term.
On the other hand, the O&M programs of the New Bohol and Puerto Princesa airports will be turned over to private entities once construction of the projects is completed. The contractors will be required to develop and expand the capacity of the airports to meet future growth targets.
Instructions to prospective bidders will be available by February.
“The intention is still to bundle the airports, but that will depend largely on the inputs of interested groups during the process prior to bidding itself. Preliminarily, the [bids and awards committee] is considering bundling them geographically: East (Puerto Princesa, Iloilo, Bacolod) and West (Bohol, Laguindingan, Bacolod),” DOTC spokesperson Michael Arthur Sagcal said.
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