Xiamen Air incident renews interest in NAIA rehab, possible alternatives

The Xiamen Air incident has sparked renewed interest in the proposed rehabilitation of NAIA, the country’s premiere gateway, and building other airports in areas outside of Metro Manila.

Tens of thousands of passengers were stranded at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) when its main runway was closed due to an incident involving a Xiamen Air flight MF8667.

At 11 p.m. on Thursday, August 16, flight MF8667 skidded of NAIA’s Runway 06/24 that compelled other airlines to cancel dozens of flights and diverted more to nearby airports.

“‘Yung mishap na nangyari is an eye-opener na kelangan na tayong kumilos. My proposal is for the mid-term we have a twin airport system betwen Manila and Clark,” Senator JV Ejercito, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, said in a report by GMA News' Jam Sisante-Cayco on “24 Oras” Tuesday.

“Hindi lang congestion ng air traffic ang maso-solve nito. Just imagine the growth it would bring to Central Luzon,” Ejercito said.

Clark Airport expansion

According to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the government has started building a new terminal for Clark International Airport, and targeted to be completed in 2020.

The new terminal is expected to increase the airport’s capacity to 12.2 million a year from 4.2 million.

“An integrated transport system is needed to fully realize Clark’s potential. We require convenient, high-speed rail network from Pampanga to Manila, as well as more flyovers and wider NLEX lanes. At present, P2P buses are not enough to give the speed and comfort of a world-class hub,” Senator Koko Pimentel said.

NAIA rehab

Seven of the biggest conglomerates in the country, going by the name of NAIA Consortium, submitted to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) a proposal to rehabilitate NAIA at a price tag of P350 billion.

The consortium counts as members Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., Alliance Global Group Inc., Ayala Corporation, Filinvest Development Corporation, JG Summit Holdings Inc., LT Group Inc., and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

According to the consortium, its proposal is in line with efforts to decongest the airport while other regional airports are being built.

“Augmenting NAIA’s capacity is the quickest way to address airport congestion while other airports are being developed outside Metro Manila,” it said.

The proposal seeks to develop NAIA into a “world-class” facility and a regional air transport hub by upgrading its airside, landside, and air navigation support facilities.

On recommendation of the DOTr, the consortium has secured earlier this month an original proponent status for the project. The group is now waiting for the Swiss Challenge from other groups interested bagging the project.

Under a Swiss Challenge, other prospective bidders get the chance to make competing offers for the project, while the original proponent may exercise the right to match such offers.

“We are ready to start construction right after we get the notice to proceed and deliver the first phase of expanding NAIA’s capacity by 2020. We can make this hope and dream into a reality in just two years’ time from NTP issuance, NAIA Consortium spokesperson Jose “Jimbo” Reverente said in a statement.

GMA News Online has contacted Reverente as well as Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal to expound on the consortium’s proposal, and is waiting for their response as of this posting.

Bulacan Airport

San Miguel Corp. (SMC) also submitted an unsolicited proposal to construct, operate, and maintain a totally new airport in a 2,500-hectare property in Bulakan, Bulacan.

The company was also granted an original proponent status for the P735.634-billion project, which it intends to build on its own.

“If you look at our balance sheet and cash flow, we can easily do that airport alone,” SMC president and COO Ramon Ang said in May.

The proposal is a solution to address airport congestion in the country, and a driver of tourism growth.

“We are confident that that airport would be good for our country and will bring in at least 20 million foreign tourists to our country. So, with that, I think it will create millions of jobs for our ... countrymen,” Ang said earlier.

The company is also waiting for the Swiss Challenge to the project which includes developing a passenger terminal building with airside and landside facilities as well as an airport toll road.

“Still waiting for DOTr,” Ang told GMA News Online on Tuesday.

Sangley Airport

Another unsolicited proposal is an airport in Cavite’s Sangley Point—a $12-billion project of proposed the consortium of the Sy and Tieng families.

Sy-led Belle Corp. and Tieng’s All Asia Resources and Reclamation Corp. formed the Sangley Airport Infrastructure Group Inc., which offered to build and operate an airport in Sangley Point under a 50-year concession deal.

The aim was to provide a nearby alternative to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay, according to the group.

The proposal was rejected by the DOTr, saying that “should the government pursue the Sangley Airport Development Project ... it would be implemented using its own resources.”  —With Ted Cordero/VDS, GMA News