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President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. ordered to expedite the development of Sangley Point International Airport Project in Cavite
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Marcos directed to prioritize and streamline the processing of all
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A joint technical working group is constituted to facilitate the expeditious development and completion of the project
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The JTWG, among other functions, should address issues arising from the timely development of the project, and ensure effective governance of reclamation activities
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has ordered to expedite the development of Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA) Project in Cavite.
Administrative Order (AO) No. 44 directs all concerned national government agencies and instrumentalities, and encouraged Cavite local government units (LGUs) to prioritize and expedite the processing of all permits, clearances, licenses, certifications, and other authorizations required for the implementation of the SPIA Project.
Marcos also directed the adoption and implementation of measures to streamline procedures and eliminate redundancies, and prevent undue delays in the development of the project, and to extend full support, assistance, and cooperation to ensure its timely and unimpeded completion.
AO No. 44 noted there is a need to enhance coordination of various government agencies, LGUs in Cavite, and private sector partners, and streamline regulatory and administrative processes, in order to ensure the timely completion of the project.
Joint technical working group
To facilitate the expeditious development and completion of the project, a joint technical working group (JTWG) is also constituted. It will be co-chaired by representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), with members from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of National Defense, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and Philippine Coast Guard.
Among its functions, the JTWG should address issues arising from the timely development of the project, and ensure effective governance of reclamation activities, as may be authorized, and strict compliance with environmental and technical requirements under applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
The JTWG should also recommend to the president policy directives necessary to sustain implementation timelines and ensure alignment with national development priorities.
DOTr was also directed to provide overall policy direction on air transport and civil aviation and coordinate government actions for the airport’s development to support safe, reliable, efficient, and convenient air travel.
It will also oversee the integration of the SPIA into the Greater Capital Region Airport System and the country’s air transport network.
CAAP will provide technical and regulatory oversight of the airport’s planning, design, development, and operational readiness, including the issuance of required certifications and authorizations.
The PRA, meanwhile, will oversee the project’s reclamation component, including the review and approval of reclamation plans and enforcement of technical standards and compliance requirements.
It will also review applicable fees and charges for the project’s non-saleable reclamation component.
PRA and DENR should also establish environmental monitoring mechanisms to safeguard marine and coastal ecosystems affected by reclamation and construction activities.
SPIA is a flagship local public-private partnership project envisioned as an international logistics hub with a container port and airport complex.
In 2023, the Cavite provincial government and SPIA Development Consortium (SDC) signed a joint venture and development agreement for the $11-billion SPIA Project. The public-private partnership project will be implemented through a JV development agreement with the parties involved in SDC being House of Investments, Inc., Cavitex Holdings Inc., Samsung C&T Corp., MacroAsia Corp., Munich Airport International GmbH, and Ove Arup & Partners Hongkong Ltd.
SDC on September 14, 2022, was officially awarded the contract after no firm challenged the consortium’s unsolicited proposal. SDC submitted its unsolicited proposal for a JV with the Cavite provincial government to develop SPIA in 2021, after the latter declared as failed the second bidding for the project in October 2021.
The Philippine Competition Commission in 2024 also cleared the joint venture between the Cavite provincial government and SDC.
READ: PCC approves Sangley airport JV, saying it won’t restrict competition
SPIA is envisioned as a two-runway airport with annual capacity of 80 million passengers, expandable to four runways that can handle as many as 130 million passengers a year.
The airport project aims to provide a premium gateway that will initially serve as an alternative to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and is designed to meet an expected increase in demand for air transport in the next 30-40 years.
The project includes the construction of a four-kilometer connector road with provisions for rail connectivity, as well as fully-integrated logistics and aviation support facilities.
With the development of the first runway, SPIA can operate as a satellite runway to immediately relieve the extreme congestion of the runway at NAIA.
The consortium said the SPIA development is expected to create 50,000 jobs and be a catalyst project to bring in foreign direct investment that will promote trade and economic development.
Early this year, the United States Trade and Development Agency said it is funding the feasibility study for the proposed SPIA.— Roumina Pablo
