PH lines up new airport projects; Sangley yet to take shape

The $11-billion Sangley Point International Airport remains up in the air as its contractor has yet to submit a detailed engineering design, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.

In a recent forum hosted by the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines in Makati, Bautista said the Virata-Yuchengco-led consortium was still finalizing the engineering design, which includes the project blueprint and cost estimates.

At the same time, Bautista said they were also still studying with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to determine how the Cavite airport could serve as an extension of Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The transport chief, in the meantime, said they would want to “improve the existing facilities as a general aviation airport.”

Bautista said the Sangley airport currently has two hangars. One is being operated by an airline flying passengers to leisure estate Balesin Island while the other one uses the terminal to transport seafoods, he noted.

Last year, the Sangley consortium inked with the Cavite provincial government a joint venture and development agreement for the construction of the alternative gateway to Naia. It previously targeted to break ground for the project by 2024.

The consortium seeks to build a new gateway with annual capacity of 25 million passengers initially. It also plans to create a second runway to expand capacity to 75 million passengers per year.

The Virata-Yuchengco-led consortium—which had secured the original proponent status in Jan. 2022—sealed the Sangley contract in September 2022.

The foreign partners of the Sangley consortium are Munich Airport International Airport GmbH, Europe’s only five-star airport, and Samsung C&T Corp., the company that built the Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport and the extension of Changi Airport. It is also joined by Lucio Tan’s MacroAsia Corp. as a non-equity member providing management and technical services for aviation support.

Airport pipeline

While this project is encountering some delays, Bautista said they were pushing for the completion of other airport projects outside Metro Manila to improve connectivity.

He said the unsolicited proposals to develop the Laguindingan and Bohol-Pangalo airports were undergoing a Swiss challenge.

His department is working with the World and Asian Development Bank for the launch of more airport public-private partnership projects next year. These include Basco, Busuanga, Cagayan, Tuguegarao, Bacolod, Calbayod, Catbalogan, Caterman, Camiguin, Davao, General Santos and Surigao.

The government is also looking at greenfield airports in Masbate, Naga, Pangasinan, Siargao and Zamboanga, Bautista noted.

“We also continue to develop airports in islands and communities such as those in, Itbayat, Maasin, Hilongos and Siquijor to improve air transport connectivity,” Bautista shared.