Sangley spur road construction to depend on airport plans

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) is waiting for a clearer direction from the government regarding Sangley airport before proceeding with the construction of its proposed five-kilometer spur road connecting the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) to the airport. 

MPTC chief financial officer Christopher Lizo said the development of the spur road would likely hinge on whether the government would make the Sangley airport available for commercial flights.

“We submitted a proposal to do a spur, CAVITEX going to Sangley. It’s on the table of TRB (Toll Regulatory Board). We submitted the technical proposal two weeks ago. But it’s a technical proposal only – alignment and estimated cost. No investment recovery yet because that will depend on the development in Sangley. The problem is we still don’t know what the plan is for Sangley,” Lizo said.

“If it’s for general aviation flights only, then it’s not feasible. It should have domestic (flights). So if domestic will be transferred there then, it is feasible,” he said.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) commenced with the operational dry run for the Sangley airport in Cavite last week with the goal of commencing general aviation and turboprop cargo operations this week.

General aviation refers to light aircraft operations and training planes.

The airport will be open from sunrise to sunset using turboprop as the maximum aircraft that will operate. Night operations will commence after the installation of runway lights is completed by December.

Aside from the DOTr-led enhancement of the Sangley airport, the provincial government of Cavite is also looking to transform and develop the military air base into a world-class international airport by partnering with the private sector.

With the Cavite government as the lead proponent, the Sangley Point International Airport project is expected to be a 1,500-hectare master-planned international airport hub that will feature four runways, airside and landside facilities, and can accommodate up to 130 million passengers annually.

“The Sangley airport development is important. We need to understand what’s the real plan with the Sangley airport. But we are doing the extension to Noveleta anyway,” Lizo said.

The five-kilometer spur road is part of a 22-kilometer toll road proposal in Cavite by MPTC-unit Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. and the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).

Called as the alternative Segment 5 alignment, the planned P30-billion project would serve as an extension of the concession of the CAVITEX, wherein PRA is its joint venture partner.

The project is initially seen running from Kawit to Noveleta, Noveleta to Sangley, and then Sangley to Tanza, with the spur road to Sangley eyed to be included in its first phase.