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The Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines was named Philippines PPP of the Year–Aviation at the international GovMedia Awards 2026 for the Laguindingan International Airport project
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Judges for the GovMedia Awards included KPMG Partner and Advisor Guillaume Sachet and PricewaterhouseCooper Business Application Consulting Generalist and Partner Shuchi Mehta
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The recognition cites the center’s role in advancing the LIA PPP Project
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The project traces back to a 2018 unsolicited proposal by Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., which eventually won the 30-year contract signed in October 2024
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The project is valued at approximately $254.967 million and is expected to raise the airport’s annual passenger capacity from current levels to 3.9 million, and eventually to 6.3 million
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It is the first unsolicited airport PPP project implemented under the PPP Code of the Philippines
The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center of the Philippines was named Philippines PPP of the Year–Aviation at the GovMedia Awards 2026 for its role in the privatization of the Laguindingan International Airport (LIA) in Northern Mindanao.
The GovMedia Awards, held this year at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore on July 9, is an international program recognizing government agencies, departments, and public and private sector organizations for excellence in governance, digital transformation, innovation, sustainability, and citizen-centric service delivery.
All nominations underwent evaluation by an independent panel of industry experts, including KPMG Partner and Advisor Guillaume Sachet and PricewaterhouseCooper Business Application Consulting Generalist and Partner Shuchi Mehta, who assessed entries based on innovation and impact.
The award highlights the PPP Center’s contribution to the LIA PPP Project. It provided project advisory, facilitation, technical, and legal support to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) during the entire development process, covering the evaluation of the unsolicited proposal, negotiations, approval, procurement, and awarding stages.
The PPP Center, serving as the primary agency for coordinating and monitoring all PPP projects nationwide, maintains its support for the Philippine PPP Program by aiding implementing agencies in project preparation and development, offering advisory and facilitation services, and enhancing institutional capacities through capacity-building initiatives.
The LIA PPP Project began in 2018 when Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC) submitted an unsolicited proposal to the DOTr and CAAP under the Amended Build-Operate-Transfer Law. In October 2024, the Philippine government and AIC officially signed a 30-year PPP agreement to upgrade, operate, maintain, and develop the airport. This includes infrastructure improvements, increasing passenger capacity, and commercializing airport assets.
READ: Aboitiz InfraCapital reaffirms support for Laguindingan growth with airport upgrades
Valued at approximately $254.967 million, the project is expected to more than double the airport’s annual passenger capacity to 3.9 million, eventually expanding it to 6.3 million passengers, supporting tourism, trade, investment, and economic growth across Northern Mindanao.
The PPP center said the project’s successful facilitation also demonstrates its role under the PPP Code of the Philippines, passed into law in December 2023, helping ensure regulatory compliance, strengthen institutional capacity, address development bottlenecks, and sustain project momentum through key regulatory transitions.
As the first unsolicited airport PPP project implemented under the PPP Code, the project serves as a benchmark for managing complex unsolicited proposals within an evolving policy environment.
Earlier this year, the PPP Center was also recognized as a Highly Commended institution in the Public Promoter/Procurer of the Year category at the Partnerships Awards 2026 in London, United Kingdom, on April 30, 2026.
The PPP Center thanked its partner agencies, stakeholders, and the private sector for their continued support and collaboration on PPP projects.
READ: PPP Center, BCDA ink deal with Isla Lipana JV for Poro Point consultancy
