DOTr, MIAA submit proposal for NAIA upgrade to NEDA BoardBy CNN Philippines Staf

DOTr, MIAA submit proposal for NAIA upgrade to NEDA Board
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 3) — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) on Friday submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority or NEDA Board their joint proposal to upgrade the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The proposed solicited public-private partnership project "aims to increase the capacity of NAIA and ensure safe operations while significantly improving the passenger experience at the airport through shorter waiting and processing times, more comfortable and modern facilities, and better connectivity between terminals," the DOTr said in a statement.

"To achieve these, the government will require a private concessionaire to invest in modern air traffic control equipment, rehabilitate runways and taxiways, and improve existing terminal facilities," it added.
Under the proposal, the private concessionaire will have 15 years to operate the country's main gateway and recover its investment.

The DOTr said it is undertaking both the solicited and unsolicited modes for NAIA's modernization project with the help of the Asian Development Bank.

The agency earlier said it is already fast-tracking the review of the ₱100-billion unsolicited proposal of the Manila International Airport Consortium created by the country's major tycoons.

"Cebu and Clark have shown that when given the chance, private companies can provide excellent airport services to Filipino travelers and visitors to the Philippines," Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said in a statement.

"With this project, it is our goal that travelers to and from Manila, our country's main international gateway, also benefit from the improvements in efficiency and service that world class airport operators and investors can bring," he added.