Palace: Sangley, all Chinese projects in Philippines to push through

The Sangley Airport Development Project, bagged by China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. (CCCC) and Lucio Tan’s MacroAsia Corp., will push through as planned despite the United States' imposition of sanctions against Chinese firms associated with the building of artificial islands in the South China Sea.

“The Sangley project will push through. The President declared last night that the Americans ay pupuwede po nilang ipatupad ang blacklisting ng mga Chinese companies sa kanilang teritoryo sa America at sa mga base militar na nasa ilalim ng kanilang jurisdiction,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday.

“Malinaw pong sinabi ni President hindi po siya susunod sa direktiba ng mga Amerikano dahil tayo ay malaya at indipendiyenteng bansa at kinakailangan po natin ang mga namumuhunan galing sa bansang Tsina,” Roque said.

Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla earlier said the provincial government is willing to terminate the deal with CCCC on the Sangley airport project if it will threaten the Philippines' national security.

This, after the US imposed sanctions and restrictions on at least 24 Chinese companies and associated officials for taking part in building artificial islands in disputed waters in the South China Sea.

The local government of Cavite awarded the P208.5-billion contract for the phase 1 of the Sangley Point International Airport Project to the consortium of MacroAsia and CCCC.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, MacroAsia said it agrees with Remulla's statement that "the final go-signal for the Sangley Project will be up to the National Government."

"We have been completing the qualification documents for the award, but the pandemic has delayed our processes, including the completion of JV (joint venture) documents prior to any signing of legal or financial contracts," the company said.

The expanded Sangley Airport will have four runways and will be able to accommodate up to 100 million passengers a year.

The project’s first phase involves the construction of a runway, connector road, and bridge to the Kawit segment of CAVITEx.

The Cavite provincial government targets the Sangley International Airport to partially operate in 2022 while its full operability is eyed in 2023.

Other Chinese projects

During the briefing, Roque said other projects by Chinese contractors will push through as well.

“So, Sangley and all other projects, kahit sinong Chinese contractor po ‘yan, tuloy tuloy po ‘yan dahil ang national na interest natin ay masigurado na matapos ang mga flagship project sa ilalim ng Build, Build, Build,” Roque said.

“I will be categorical, Sangley project will continue. All other projects, involving Chinese companies that are banned in the United States can continue in the Philippines. We are not a vassal state of any foreign power and we will pursue our national interest,” he added.

Last week, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he would recommend the government terminates deals with the US-blacklisted Chinese companies. —AOL/KBK, GMA News