The consortium of corporations bidding to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) said they are open to reducing the concession open period for their proposal.

The NAIA consortium had initially planned for a concession period of 35 years for their P350-billion proposal, but said they are open to shortening the period depending on negotiations with the government, and that they are “flexible” with what the government decides for the long term, even if would mean not pushing through with the third runway the consortium plans to build.

“We are open to a shorter concession period, but we probably won’t have time to build a third runway,” consortium spokesperson Jose Emmanuel “Jimbo” Reverente said in a press conference.

As the consortium is competing with the consortium of GMR Infrastructure Ltd and Megawide Construction Corp., Mr. Reverente said they have the advantage given they submitted the proposal first.

AC Infrastructure President Jose Rene D. Almendras said the consortium can receive the notice to proceed for their proposal to rehabilitate NAIA by year-end.

“If you look at BOT law and prescribed period for tendering Swiss challenge, You can get notice to proceed by December 2018,” AC Infrastructure President Jose Rene D. Almendras said.

The consortium of conglomerates Aboitiz Infra Capital Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Alliance Global Group Inc., AEDC, Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investment Corp. (MPIC) submitted their proposal on Feb. 15, while Megawide-GMR submitted on Mar. 1 their $3-billion proposal with a concession period of 18 years.

“Our proposal has the best solution for the problem we have right now,” Mr. Reverente said.

The Department of Transportation (DoTr) has to grant the group original proponent status to the consortium. Afterwards, the National Economic and Development (NEDA) Board will evaluate the project and when approved will subject the proposal to a Swiss challenge.

“Our proposal has the best solution for the problem we have right now,” consortium spokesperson Jimbo Reverente said. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

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