TRANSPORTATION Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said Tuesday he hopes to see significant progress in the privatization of the Bohol-Panglao International Airport and the Davao International Airport by June and July, respectively.
“There are parties interested (in Bohol-Panglao airport) … There are discussions now regarding certain technical things,” Mr. Tugade said at an online forum organized by the Management Association of the Philippines.
“We hope that by the end of June, we will put this issue of Panglao to rest, and we will be ready to make the award upon compliance with the requirements by NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority),” he added.
As for the Davao International Airport, he said: “This is right now under discussion with NEDA. There are certain compliance items that are being requested and (required) of the proponent.”
“(I hope) by July, this matter will have been decided and resolved,” he added.
Aboitiz Group, through its infrastructure arm Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., submitted an unsolicited proposal for the operations and maintenance concession of the Bohol-Panglao airport, which was approved by the NEDA Board in November 2019.
Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp. was granted the original proponent status for the modernization of Davao airport in 2018.
The proposal “went (through) several iterations between and among NEDA, DoTr (Department of Transportation), CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines), and the proponent, Chelsea Logistics,” according to a recent statement from CAAP.
Chelsea Logistics President and Chief Executive Officer Chryss Alfonsus V. Damuy has said revisions to the proposal were made to take into account the pandemic impact and other requirements. — Arjay L. Balinbin