DOTr eyes more airport privatization

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista is stepping up pressure on interested proponents of other airport projects following the successful privatization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to the Ramon Ang-led San Miguel Corp. consortium, which in a short four months has already implemented and improved the capacity utilization of the country's premiere gateway.

- MARIANNE GO

In an interview, Secretary Bautista gave updates on the Sangley Airport project, Clark Airport, the Villar-led airport projects in Iloilo and Puerto Princesa, as well as plans for the Davao International Airport. DOTr officials led by Bautista yesterday met with representatives of the Yuchengco-led Sangley Point International Airport Consortium that includes MacroAsia Corp. and the Virata-led Cavitex Holdings Inc., and the Cavite Local Government representatives to discuss how to proceed with the proposed $11-billion airport project that was awarded way back in September 2022.

According to Bautista, the Sangley airport project will take much longer than expected to be developed into an international gateway. He admitted that development could take "at least 10 years."

As such, he said the interim plan is to use the Cavite airport as an adjunct facility to NAIA. At present, Bautista pointed out, the Sangley airport is operational and currently being used for "fish runs." He explained that fish cargo shipments currently use Sangley.

Additionally, the DOTr chief said, "we are eyeing it to accommodate the smaller turbo prop operations." The New NAIA Infra Corp. and the DOTr had already agreed that turbo prop operations would be transferred out of NAIA to Clark International Airport, allowing the Parañaque airport facility to accommodate the larger capacity airplanes and improve flight operations further.

Even so, Bautista admitted, plans to utilize Sangley as an adjunct to NAIA for domestic operations would still also take some time to be implemented as "the runway needs to be extended."