DOTr chief Tugade: Construction work at Sangley Airport finished by September

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on Wednesday vowed to finish the construction works at the Sangley Airport in Cavite by September to meet President Rodrigo Duterte's deadline to make it operational by November.

"Sabi ng Pangulo November eh, habulin natin ng November," Tugade said on the sidelines of the signing of pledge to develop Sangley Airport in Pasay City.

Early this month, Duterte ordered the “immediate” transfer of general aviation or domestic flight operations to Sangley Point in Cavite to ease congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

During a press briefing in Malacañang, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo clarified that Duterte wants the Sangley Airport to accommodate domestic flights starting November.

Tugade said he has a self-imposed deadline to finish the infrastructure at the Sangley Airport by September, two months ahead of the deadline set by Duterte.

"Knowing me, ano deadline ko? September," the Transportation chief said.

The Cabinet official said the Sangley Airport's runway was completed in February, while the passenger terminal building was 40% complete, the drainage system was 70% to 80% complete, while the hangars were around 30% complete.

Tugade earlier ordered the contractor to build Sangley Airport round-the-clock.

The government tapped Unimaster Conglomeration Inc. as contractor for the project.

Sangley Airport Infrastructure Group Inc., a consortium of Sy-led Belle Corp. and Tieng-led All Asia Resources and Reclamation Corp. earlier submitted an unsolicited proposal for the airport.

The Department of Transportation, however, rejected the $12-billion proposal, saying that “should the government pursue the Sangley Airport Development Project ... it would be implemented using its own resources.” — MDM, GMA News