Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., a leading infrastructure development firm, has been awarded the contract to operate and maintain Laguindingan International Airport in Misamis Oriental, according to the Department of Transportation (DoTr).
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista confirmed the decision via a Viber message to BusinessWorld, stating, “The Laguindingan PPP (public-private partnership) project will be awarded to the original proponent.” He added that no other proposals were received by the extended deadline of September 13, which had been moved from the original August deadline.
Under the current guidelines issued by the DoTr and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the notice of award and other post-award requirements will be processed promptly following approval by the Transportation Secretary and CAAP’s governing board. The winning proponent will be required to execute the concession agreement within five days of receiving notification of compliance with these post-award requirements.
In May, the DoTr announced that at least two parties had obtained bid documents for the comparative challenge. However, no competing proposals were submitted.
The Laguindingan International Airport project is expected to significantly boost regional infrastructure. The airport’s capacity is projected to accommodate 1.6 million passengers annually, expanding to 3.9 million by the end of the first phase and reaching 6.1 million by the completion of the second phase. The contract, according to the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center, will span 35 years.
The Swiss challenge process allows an original proponent, in this case, Aboitiz InfraCapital, to submit an unsolicited proposal for a project. This proposal is then open to competitive bidding from other parties, who have the opportunity to challenge the proposal. The original proponent retains the right to match any competing bids.
Earlier this year, the DoTr invited other companies to challenge Aboitiz InfraCapital’s ₱12.75 billion proposal for the operation, maintenance, and expansion of the Laguindingan airport. The Aboitiz group has also presented unsolicited proposals for similar projects at New Bohol-Panglao International Airport, Bicol International Airport, and Iloilo International Airport, and has secured the original proponent status for New Bohol-Panglao.
In 2022, Aboitiz InfraCapital, in collaboration with Megawide Construction Corp. and GMR Airports International B.V., finalized an acquisition of shares in GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp., the entity managing Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
