The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has extended by a month the submission of comparative proposals for the upgrade, expansion, and operations and maintenance of the Laguindingan International Airport.
According to NEDA chief and board chairman Arsenio Balisacan, the airport project will be awarded to the expansion proponent at the end of September this year on the assumption no one takes up the challenge.
“If a challenge is placed, the award is expected to be made mid December this year,” Balisacan said.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista had said the submission of comparative proposals for the Laguindingan Airport challenge lapsed on 13 August 2024.
He said at least two challengers paid a non-refundable participation fee of P250,000 or $4,500 for the opportunity to issue a Swiss challenge for the Laguindingan Airport.
The Swiss challenge is a form of procurement usually required in an unsolicited project that presents other parties the opportunity to challenge the bid of the proponent.
The Laguindingan Airport project is an unsolicited proposal from Aboitiz InfraCapital accepted by the Department of Transportation and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines under the terms of Republic Act 11966 or the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code of the Philippines.
The challenge process involves the submission of comparative proposals to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the Laguindingan International Airport for a period of 30 years.
The project is also one of the infrastructure flagship projects of the national government to enhance the connectivity of the Northern Mindanao region which includes the province of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon and Camiguin and the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
