Mactan-Cebu airport project auction delayed anew

MANILA, Philippines – The bidding process for the expansion project at the country’s second busiest airport was delayed for another month, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) announced.

In a February 18 bulletin, DOTC Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla said interested bidders for the P17-billion Mactan-Cebu International Airport were given another month to prepare their documents and form their consortiums

“Due to the request for extension by the prospective bidders, the schedule for the submission and opening of the pre-qualification documents has been moved from February 27 to March 22,” Lotilla wrote.

Bidders can also raise their classificatory questions until March 4.

This is the second time the DOTC moved the prequalification deadline. The DOTC has earlier postponed the February 18 deadline to February 27 to provide more time for the bidders to visit and inspect the project site. The DOTC’s decision to change the bidding rules to include groups with airline units also contributed to the delays.  

The DOTC hopes to complete the bidding process by September so the airport project can be finished by 2016. 

As of February 18, Lotilla said 11 companies have already bought bid documents:

• the tandem of First Pacific’s Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Gokongwei-led JG Summit Holdings Inc. 
• Cebu-based Aboitiz Land Inc., 
• Gotianun-led Filinvest Development Corp. and Filinvest Land Inc. 
• San Miguel Corp.
• Lucio Tan-led Macroasia Corp. 
• Prime Power Holdings Corp. 
• Megawide
• GMR Infrastructure
• Lopez-led First Philippine Holdings Corp. 
• Premier Airport Group through Sy-led SM Investments Corp.

The following have made inquiries about the project:

• Seoul-based Samsung C&T Corp.
• Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB)
• auditing firm SG&V Co.
• Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (Singapore) Pte Ltd
• Changi Airports International
• French-owned Aeroport de Lyon

The project involves the construction of a world-class passenger terminal building with annual capacity of 8 million passengers, well as the operation and maintenance of the old and new facilities.

The Mactan-Cebu international airport is situated in a 797-hectare property and has a single 3,300 meter runway that is complemented by a full-length taxiway. It is the main gateway for destinations in central Philippines. – Rappler.com