NEWS

By Richmond Mercurio

MANILA, Philippines — Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade wants his agency to complete within this month the review of a proposal resubmitted by the consortium of seven conglomerates seeking to rehabilitate the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The Department of Transportation (DOTr)’s ongoing review seeks to determine whether or not the NAIA Consortium’s revised offer followed the template of the Clark International Airport operations and maintenance contract.

“We will analyze it first. It has been changed, but I will have to see first the position of our planning and legal (departments). If they are able to follow and comply with the Clark platform, then it’s a go,” Tugade said.

“I really want it (the review) to be finished before the end of this month. You know me, I want tight deadlines,” he said.

Once the review is completed, the DOTr will then forward the consortium’s unsolicited proposal to the National Economic and Development Authority for approval before the project undergoes a Swiss challenge.

The NAIA Consortium submitted last Friday its revised proposal to the DOTr and the Manila International Airport Authority, two weeks since it was returned by the government to align its provisions and language with the Clark International Airport contract.

NAIA Consortium spokesperson Jimbo Reverente claimed the group’s offer has already complied with the Clark template.

Reverente also said the condition under the Clark contract that would trigger compensation or support for the private concessionaire, otherwise known as a material adverse government action (MAGA), is not an issue anymore to the consortium.

Following the successful bidding of the Clark International Airport operations and maintenance contract last December, the government decided to have its standards followed for other airport contracts, except for green field proposals.

A 25-year concession agreement to operate and maintain the Clark International Airport was signed last January between the government and the North Luzon Airport Consortium composed of Changi Airports Philippines Pte. Ltd., Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc., and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc.

The NAIA Consortium has been granted the original proponent status (OPS) for its P102-billion unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate, upgrade, expand, operate and maintain the NAIA for 15 years.

Source: The Philippine Star