Philippine tycoon Lucio Tan’s Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corporation (AEDC) joins the roster of companies vying for the contract to redevelop the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) under the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) scheme.
“We are participating in the bidding because we firmly believe in the growth potential of our country’s premier airport, given our past experience of pushing for Philippine aviation development,” AEDC president Salvador Mison said.
The company, owned and controlled by Tan, will have a foreign partner to provide the technical expertise for its long-term proposal for the P74.6-billion project.
AEDC said it is confident it can provide viable solutions to NAIA’s inter-terminal connectivity as well as traffic congestion in the area.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board, chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte, approved last month the NAIA redevelopment project, a medium-term solution (doable within three years) to improve safety and security, maximize capacity through “refreshed” infrastructure (airside requirements such as air traffic management), and improve passenger service standards at the existing NAIA.
The private sector participant will, for a 15- to 20-year concession, refurbish or add assets for air traffic and land side management, and for passenger services, and operate and maintain the airport (both airside and landside) according to international standards.
Implementing agency Department of Transportation expects to begin PPP procurement upon the NEDA board’s approval this September, and award and sign a concession agreement by September 2017.
Other major conglomerates interested to participate in the bidding are Ayala Corp., San Miguel Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.
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