The proposed Sangley Point International Airport, in drawing. FB photograb
ANGELES CITY – The multi-sectoral advocacy group Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement (PGKM) has lambasted the $10.9-billion unsolicited proposal submitted by a group to the Cavite Provincial Government for the development of the Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA).
Calling it as “another ploy to sabotage the development of the Clark International Airport (CIA)”, the PGKM said the consortium is “keen in promoting their own vested interests.”
PGKM chair Ruperto Cruz also said on Monday that Central Luzon W growth corridor should instead be enhanced since it has two seaports – Subic in the South China Sea and Aurora in the Pacific Coastb – and the CIA in the middle.
The W Growth Corridor defines Central Luzon’s key growth areas. It is a strategic approach in promoting Central Luzon as an investment destination. It comprises Central Luzon key investment area for tourism, industry and agriculture. These areas represent the growth municipalities of the region, which when plotted on a map form the shape of a W.
The local and foreign group that submitted the fresh preproposal is a consortium which includes the Yuchengco Group and billionaire Lucio C. Tan.
The consortium members are the Yuchengco Group of Companies, MacroAsia Corp., Samsung C&T Corp., Munich Airport International GmbH, and Cavitex Holdings Inc., an entity that is not related to the Metro Pacific group.
In a published statement, the SPIA Development Consortium said it submitted the proposal after the government declared a second failed auction for the airport development project on October 20.
The statement said further that the proposed partnership with Cavite province “will encompass the development, design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the Sangley airport project that is seen to provide an alternative to, and ease the congestion at, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as well as boost economic growth and enhance the local tourism and aviation industries.”
It was learned that the proposal involves the development of the SPIA in two phases.
Phase 1A involves the development of the first runway and terminal building that can handle up to 15 million passengers per annum. It has a price tag of $2.3 billion.
Phase 1B, meanwhile, will expand the airport’s capacity to 25 million passengers per year through a $2-billion investment.
“Sangley airport is envisioned to become a fully-modernized, world-class and green airport that is designed to expand as demand for air transport services increases in the next 30 to 40 years, and as operations at Ninoy Aquino International Airport are eventually phased out to allow for a redevelopment of the site and its surrounding areas,” said the statement.
Sangley Airport has always been seen as an alternative to the aging and congested NAIA.
However, the PGKM has since been pushing for the full development of the CIA complimented by the seaports in Subic and Aurora.
