Changi Airport keen on Mactan-Cebu airport project

MANILA, Philippines - A team of technical experts from Changi Airports International (CAI) led by Lim Liang Song, CEO of CAI, recently paid a three-day visit to Manila and Cebu in relation to the company’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) bid to turn the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) into a world-class aviation gateway.

Singapore’s Changi Airport Group (CAG) through CAI is the consortium partner of Gotianun-led Filinvest Development Corp., one of the leading conglomerates in the Philippines.

The Filinvest-Changi Airport consortium is one of the seven bidders the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) prequalified for the P17.5 billion MCIA project, which involves the construction of a new world-class passenger terminal that can accommodate up to eight million travelers per year.

The Filinvest-Changi Airport consortium includes Filinvest Development Corp. Changi Airports MENA Pte Ltd., Filinvest Land Inc., Filinvest Alabang Inc., Cyberzone Properties Inc., and Changi Airports Saudi Ltd. The bids of prequalified bidders are due to be submitted on Aug. 28.

The government is hoping to get a new world class international airport as a result of the bidding.

“With Changi as our partner for the Cebu airport project, we will be able to design and build an airport that will be at par with the best airports in the Asian region.  We will be globally competitive with a world-class airport that will impress tourists and foreign investors alike,” according to Filinvest president and CEO Josephine Gotianun Yap.

This is Filinvest’s first venture into airport development. The Filinvest group’s real estate arms are behind the development of major projects such as the 244-hectare Filinvest City, the premier central business district in Alabang, Muntinlupa City; and Timberland Heights, a 677-hectare township in San Mateo, Rizal. Together with the Cebu City government, it is also developing the 50.5-hectare Citta Di Mare mixed-use development.

The company is also noted for its high-rise residential condominium, The Beaufort in Bonifacio Global City; PBCom Tower, currently the tallest office building in the country; and Festival Supermall, the top shopping destination south of Metro Manila.  Upon completion of its expansion program, it will be the largest regional mall in the South.

Filinvest also develops house and lot communities, IT and business parks, and mid-rise residential condominiums under the Oasis brand. In the hospitality business, the company operates 1,000 rooms in three hotels – the Crimson in Filinvest City, Alabang, Crimson Resort & Spa in Mactan, Cebu, and Quest Hotel in Cebu City.

Changi Airport was named the World’s Best Airport for the fourth straight year by the World Airport Awards in a ceremony held in Geneva, Switzerland. The latest award as the World’s No. 1 Airport was based on the annual Skytrax survey of 12.1 million travelers from over 160 countries.

Changi Airport was also awarded Best Airport in Asia and the Best Airport for Leisure Amenities in 2012 by the world’s top airport award-giving body.

Lee Seow Hiang, chief executive officer of the Changi Airport Group, attributed their latest recognition to the best airport experience Changi Airport continues to give passengers. Changi bested 395 airports worldwide as passengers were satisfied with its check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security, immigration and departure services.

The airport has a vast array of leisure and entertainment facilities that attracts tens of millions of passengers every year, according to Edward Plaisted, chairman of Skytrax. Changi Airport has three passenger terminals with a total annual handling capacity of 66 million passengers. A fourth terminal is set to open in 2017.

As of March 2012, Changi Airport serves more than 100 airlines operating 6,100 weekly flights that connect Singapore to more than 220 cities in 60 countries and territories worldwide. The airport is also one of the busiest cargo airports in the world, handling 1.9 million tons of cargo in 2011.

The Filinvest-CAI partnership for the MCIA terminal project represents an opportunity to replicate the Changi Airport experience in the Philippines to boost the country’s tourism and aviation industries.