The Department of Transportation (DOTr) ruled out any loss of jobs after the government turns over the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to the winning bidder by September this year.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the agency is looking at three to six months for the operations and management turnover to the private concessionaire.
He also gave assurance there will be no loss of jobs after the turnover saying, “all employees will be given an offer.”
Bautista said the DOTr targets to open the financial bids for NAIA on 14 February this year and the notice of award by the following day, 15 February.
“The signing of the concession agreement is on March 15,” he added.
Earlier the Manila International Airport Consortium, Asian Airport Consortium, GMR Airport Consortium, and SMC SAP & Co. Consortium submitted bids for the NAIA rehabilitation project.
When the project completes, NAIA capacity is expected to increase to 60 million passengers annually.
The DOTr and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) serve as co-grantors of the project under a 15-year concession period with an option for a 10-year extension.
The project involves capital investments to improve the airport’s facilities consistent with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and other internationally accepted standards.
This includes modernizing the terminals, optimizing the capacity of the airport to 62 million passengers a year, enhancing asset quality and passenger experience, improving the information and technology systems infrastructure, and ensuring reliable operations over the period of concession.
