Sen. Grace Poe on Thursday, September 14 said she is expecting a speed boost in the modernization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after several companies have reportedly expressed interest in participating in the bidding.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary Leonel De Velez, in a recent interview, confirmed that several entities have already shown interest in bidding for the NAIA rehabilitation project.
Among those who are interested to join the bidding, De Velez said, include the Manila International Airport Consortium, San Miguel Corporation, and GMR.
Potential bidders Spark 888 Management Inc., and Asian Airport Consortium have also reportedly secured bid documents for the airport’s rehabilitation.
“We expect this could rev up the process to give the country's premier airport a much needed facelift for our passengers' benefit,” said Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services.
The senator noted the rehabilitation of NAIA is already behind time: “The airport fiascos in the recent past are glaring signs it needs urgent attention.”
Poe also mentioned that expensive airfares could be tempered by the availability of more flights if only the airport could accommodate them.
Amid the mobility resurgence, Poe urged the DOTr to vigorously pursue the modernization path to give Filipinos and foreign travelers a world-class airport and help spur economic growth.
Earlier in August, the DOTr opened the bidding for the rehabilitation and maintenance of NAIA.
DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista had said the P170.6-billion contract also involves the operation and optimization of the potential of NAIA—which was recently voted as one of the worst airports in the world.
The NAIA modernization project is expected to improve the overall passenger experience and increase the current annual passenger capacity of the airport to at least 62 million from the current 32 million.