The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to award the Laguindingan International Airport concession to Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. as early as within the month.
“The Notice of Award had been issued to the original proponent of the Laguindingan Airport PPP project, with the signing of the concession agreement scheduled this month,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said of the P12.75 billion upgrade and operations and maintenance contract.
Bautista, however, realistically projects turning over the operations and maintenance of the airport to Aboitiz InfraCapital within the next four to six months.
The DOTr issued the notice of award after none of the competitors challenged the Aboitiz InfraCapital offer.
The Swiss challenge process requires the submission of comparative proposals to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the Laguindingan International Airport under a 30-year concession pact.
The Swiss Challenge is a form of procurement in an unsolicited project allowing other parties the opportunity to challenge the bid of the proponent.
The project, one of the infrastructure flagship projects of the national government, aims to enhance connectivity to the Northern Mindanao region which includes the five provinces of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon and Camiguin, along with the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
The project seeks to define an aviation strategy for new airlines and connections including the development of international flights, expand airport capacity according to market demand, introduce sustainable concepts and enhance passenger experience through operational and environmental improvements.
