Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jnr ordered relevant government agencies to fast-track the development of Cavite’s Sangley Airport.
Marcos issued the call on the third day of his state visit to India on Wednesday, 6th August, whilst meeting with top executives of Indian infrastructure mega-firm GMR Group.
The GMR Group is a strategic partner of the Sangley Aerocity Project, and is currently developing an international airport and surrounding aerotropolis at the former Sangley Point Air Base.
Aside from the Sangley Airport project, GMR is also looking into upcoming bids for regional airports expected to open later this year, as well as other infrastructure projects throughout the Philippines.
Once operational, the Sangley Point International Airport will help decongest Metro Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
A step in the right direction
Jonvic Remulla, secretary of the interior and himself a former governor of Cavite province, hailed the President’s call as another positive step towards the development of Sangley Airport as a supplemental hub for the country’s biggest gateway.
Remulla remarked in the vernacular: “Within two and a half years, we will have another runway in use; 20 million more passengers can be accommodated there within the next two years. We’ll be able to decongest NAIA to make travel more comfortable for Filipino travellers and also draw in more foreign tourists.”
As of press time, the President ordered full support from all concerned agencies to ensure that the developmental initiative is completed within schedule.
What came before
At present, the Sangley Airport project is being developed under a public-private partnership led by the Cavite provincial government.
Prior to the President’s state visit to India, the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) cleared a proposed joint venture for the development of Sangley Airport in October of last year.
At the time, the PCC said the proposed partnership between the Cavite provincial government and the private consortium for the development of the airport was highly unlikely to result in a substantial lessening, restriction, or prevention of competition in the relevant markets.
Under the terms of agreement, this public-private partnership (PPP) will develop, own, operate, manage and maintain Sangley Airport.
The cost of the developmental initiative is currently estimated to be US$11 billion.
