Megawide Construction Corp. and partner GMR Infrastructure Ltd. of India said Thursday they are awaiting the government’s decision on the group’s unsolicited proposal to develop the Clark International Airport.
GMR Megawide, the developer of Mactan-Cebu International Airport, earlier expressed concern over the Transportation Department’s plan to endorse a different proposal for Clark.
Another group, the consortium of JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Filinvest Development Corp., submitted an unsolicited proposal to build a P187-billion world-class airport in Clark Freeport Zone by 2020.
Louie Ferrer, GMR Megawide president, said his group submitted a separate unsolicited proposal “because we both believe Clark has a strategic role to play in the Luzon Airports System.”
The Transportation Department said it would review all unsolicited proposals.
“We understand that the DOTr has a lot of responsibility to evaluate and deliver projects. We are now in communication with them and would like to wait for the results of the review,” Ferrer said.
Ferrer said that depending on the government’s plans, Clark could become either the gateway to Central and Northern Luzon or a premier international gateway for the Philippines.
“There was one missing element in previous studies for Clark, however. And that is a comprehensive development framework,” he said.
The consortium proposes a framework that combines government oversight with private sector capability in service delivery, infrastructure upgrades and airport marketing.
The consortium came up with a 50-year master plan based on independent studies of Clark and its potential as a gateway and proposed six phases of development that would provide a saturation phase of 100 million passengers per annum.
The proposal does not require any kind of government subsidy, guarantee or mandatory movement of airlines from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque City to Clark.
Ferrer said the consortium would also commit to an annual share of airport revenues to the government.
“It shifts the responsibility of capital expenditure from the government to us over the entire concession period,” Ferrer said.
He said his group had already proven its marketing expertise similar to what was accomplished at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
Ferrer said from just seven international destinations in 2014, MCIA now has a total of 16 with the opening of new destinations currently in the works.
Domestic destinations experienced a similar growth from 22 to 27 in just two years. The number of MCIA’s airline partners increased from 11 to 19 this month.
Ferrer said route marketing was a unique strength of the consortium.
“While local carriers are already present in Clark, we believe its domestic connectivity can still be improved. There is also great potential for operating international circular routes which will include both Mactan-Cebu and Clark,” Ferrer said.