THE DEPARTMENT of Transportation (DoTr) said it is accelerating the land development at the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) in Bulacan, which has reached more than 75% completion to date.
“We also have the New Manila International Airport being built in Bulacan. Land development is more than three-fourths complete. Structures should rise by the third quarter of 2024,” Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said in a recent forum facilitated by the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI).
San Miguel Aerocity, Inc. (SMAI) is spending about P735 billion to build NMIA which will help decongest air traffic at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport while also complementing Clark International Airport’s operations, Mr. Bautista said.
“We have been using Clark and Cebu airports as a benchmark for successful public-private partnership. These two international gateways showcase the smooth transfer of airport operations and maintenance to private concessionaires,” he said.
To recall, the Transportation department held a pre-bid conference for the privatization of NAIA which has so far attracted seven bidders.
The DoTr has set the deadline for bids on Dec. 27. It has said that it expects to announce the winning bidder by the first quarter of 2024.
In August, the government invited bidders for the P170.6-billion public-private partnership to modernize and operate the main gateway airport. The modernization hopes to increase the current annual passenger capacity of the airport to 62 million from 35 million.
Separately on Sunday, the DoTr said that the Japanese government will fund five ships to help boost the country’s maritime security.
“The last pillar of the New (free and open Indo-Pacific) FOIP Plan is extending efforts for security and safe use of the sea to the air. Japan has hitherto provided 12 ships to the Coast Guard to play a part in improving the Philippines’ maritime security capability,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a media release on Sunday. — Ashley Erika O. Jose
