San Miguel Corp. on Monday said it plans to build a new passenger terminal building as part of its commitment to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the country’s main international gateway.
Ramon S. Ang, president of San Miguel Corp., told reporters the proposed passenger terminal building can handle 35 million passengers annually with 50 concourse boarding bridges.
“It will add 30 percent more space at Terminals 1,2 and 3,” Ang said in Manila following the formal signing of the concession agreement with government for the NAIA project.
The NAIA operates far beyond its designed capacity of 35 million passengers at present, clogging air traffic and causing frequent flight delays.
“Within six months, we will be awarding the project [new terminal building]. My promise to you is that it will all be completed within three years. It’s going to be quick,” Ang added.
The abandoned Philippine Village Hotel is a potential site of the proposed new passenger terminal building.
The new PTB is part of the San Miguel Group’s P122.3 billion capital expenditure over the next 25 years.
The SMC SAP & Co. Consortium on Monday signed the concession agreement with the Department of Transportation for the NAIA Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project.
“This is the biggest PPP project bid out by the government (attracting a guaranteed) P900 billion or USD16 billion without selling any property, equipment or any asset at all,” Ang particularly noted.
“This is the biggest PPP project of the Republic of the Philippines bid out since 1998 without selling property,” he added.
The DOTr issued the notice of award to the SMC-SAP & Co. Consortium counting San Miguel Holdings Corp, RMM Asian Logistics Inc., RLW Aviation Development Inc., and Incheon International Airport Corp (IIAC) as members on 16 February 2024.
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista expressed confidence the NAIA PPP Project will open the floodgates of opportunity for the country—from investments, business, tourism and employment.
“We welcome this development as this will not only generate revenue for the government but also create opportunities for Filipinos. With a modernized NAIA, we are elevating the airport’s facilities and services to international standards,” Bautista said.
With the signing of the concession agreement, the operations and maintenance of the airport will be handed over to the concessionaire on or before September this year.
The NAIA PPP Project is seen to herald economic growth for the country and lift tourism arrivals with improved levels of service and upgraded airport infrastructure.
The NAIA project requires capital investment boosting the airport’s facilities in keeping with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and other internationally accepted standards.This means modernizing the terminals, optimizing and enhancing 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 the concession.
The concessionaire will be responsible for both land side and airside operations of the NAIA.
It is required to undertake works enhancing the compliance, safety and security of the airport, optimize and boost its capacity to cater to the increasing air traffic consistent with the objective parameters to be provided in detail in the upcoming concession agreement.
