ICI urged to probe P170.6B NAIA deal

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure must widen its probe to include the controversial trillion-worth public-private deal with the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp., critics of the airport's privatization said Tuesday.

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PUSO ng NAIA, a coalition of concerned citizens, aviation workers and labor groups, in an open letter dated October 21, urged the ICI to investigate the concession deal between the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp (NNIC).

The group cited alleged procedural lapses, conflicts of interest, noncompetitive bidding and the lack of oversight over the San Miguel Corporation-led NNIC, which acts as the concessionaire.

What's the deal about? The public-private partnership, finalized in March 2024, grants the NNIC control over the operation and maintenance of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for 15 years, extendable by another 10.

It is part of the government's effort to tap the private sector for NAIA's rehabilitation, operation and expansion to address longstanding capacity and service issues.

San Miguel Corp. was awarded the P170.6-billion contract in 2024.

While the coalition is in favor of the long-overdue modernization of the NAIA, it warned that the process must remain transparent and free from “opaque and compromised arrangements.”