Megawide seeks BCDA clarification on Clark O&M project criteria

MANILA, Philippines — Megawide Construction Corp., which is part of a group that bought bid documents for the Clark International Airport operations and maintenance (O&M), is seeking clarification from the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) on the qualification preventing any company with majority equity interest in an international airport in the country from participating in the bidding for the project.

“We have already sought clarification from the BCDA on this matter and we hope to hear from them in the coming days,” Megawide director Louie Ferrer said.

Megawide owns 60 percent of GMR Cebu Airport Corp. which operates the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

The company,  with partner GMR Infrastructure Ltd. of India, bagged the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the Clark airport’s new passenger terminal building, is among the firms which purchased bid documents for the Clark airport operation and maintenance.

Other firms which bought bid documents are Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Filinvest Development Corp., San Miguel Holdings Corp., Prime Assets Venture, Central Luzon Infrastructure Consultancy Inc. Consortium, GVK Airport Developers Ltd. and Groupe ADP.

Under the legal qualifications to be allowed to bid for the Clark airport O&M, a prospective bidder must not hold whether direct or indirect majority equity interest in a concession holder of an international airport in the country.

Joshua Bingcang, senior vice president for business development and operations at the BCDA, said on Monday the government would listen to the position of proponents who may have concerns on that requirement.

“Our interest is to get the best partner and we want competition as well. But if there are proponents who can provide us their position on why the government should reconsider this, then we are open to hearing it,” he said.

For now, Ferrer said the group would continue to make preparations for the bidding.