After the Department of Transportation awards the successful bidder of a concession agreement for the operations and maintenance of NAIA within the first quarter of 2024, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is planned to undergo a major operational improvement, most likely starting this year.

According to DoTr Secretary Jaime Bautista, its Bids and Awards Committee is now scrutinizing the technical and financial proposals lodged by four qualified proponents in response to the NAIA privatization solicitation.

The DoTr chief stressed that the concession agreement calls for the rehabilitation, operation, and maintenance of NAIA for a term of 15 years through a public-private partnership arrangement.

Further, Bautista said the agreement is also extendable to 10 years upon satisfactory compliance with Key Performance Indicators or KPIs to be decided in the 8th year.

A technical review of the proposals submitted by the Manila International Airport Consortium, Asia Airport Consortium, GMR Airports Consortium, and SMC SAP and Company Consortium has now been scheduled.

More productive

Bautista believes that more travelers and airport employees will be more productive at NAIA if its operations and maintenance are turned over to a commercial concessionaire.

To recall, the National Economic and Development Authority has greenlighted the P170.6-billion NAIA PPP Project, which entails upgrades to the airport’s infrastructure, runways, four terminals, and related facilities.

After the major rehabilitation project of the airport is done, the annual passenger capacity of NAIA is expected to increase to 62 million from its current 32 million.

The bidders

The firms that submitted bids are as follows: Manila International Airport Consortium, composed of GIP MIA PTE. Ltd., Aboitiz Infra Capital Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Alliance Global Infracorpt Dev’t Inc., Asia’s Emerging Dragion Corp. and JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corp.; Asian Airport Consortium composed of Asian Infrastructure and Management Corp., Cosco Capital Inc., and Philippine Skylanders Int’l Inc.; and PT Angkasa Pura II GMR Airports Consortium whose members are GMR Airports International B.V., Cavitex Holdings Inc., House of Investments Inc.; and SMC-SAP & Company Consortium made up of San Miguel Holdings Corp., RMM Asian Logistics Inc., RLW Aviation Development Inc., and Incheon International Airport Corp.