Lawmakers want delay in Mactan airport expansion probed

MANILA, Philippines - Eight lawmakers from Cebu are asking the House of Representatives to look into the controversial bidding for the P17.5-billion Mactan-Cebu International Airport expansion project.

Rep. Gerard Anthony Gullas Jr. of Cebu’s first district filed Resolution 863, while his colleagues Raul del Mar of Cebu City (north), Joseph Durano (fifth district), Benhur Salimbangon (fourth district), Gwendolyn Garcia (third), Aileen Radaza of Lapu-Lapu City, Rodrigo Abellanosa of Cebu City (south) and Wilfredo Caminero (second district) filed Resolution 782 seeking the inquiry.

Gullas wants the House committees on good government and transportation to look into the “unwarranted delay” in the execution of the project.

“We want the holdup resolved right away, so the national government may finally receive the multibillion-peso payment for the right to perform the project,” Gullas said.

He said the payment was on top of the billions of pesos that the final project awardee was expected to spend in order to build a new world-class international terminal capable of handling eight million passengers every year.

The awardee was expected to enlarge and modernize the existing terminal, which will be converted into a completely domestic passengers-only station, and install all the equipment.

Gullas said the awardee is also expected to run both the new and existing terminals for up to 25 years, said Gullas.

“We wish for the project to be carried out as soon as possible, as we are counting on it to help propel Cebu’s economic and jobs growth in the months ahead,” he said.

The lawmaker said the project is expected to generate thousands of construction-related jobs that would benefit low-income Cebu households.

“Once completed, we are also hopeful the bigger terminals will permanently employ more Cebuanos.”

He said the new facility would considerably stimulate travel and leisure-related industries throughout Central Visayas.

After several months of preparation, the Department of Transportation and Communications opened the financial bids for the concession on Dec.12, 2013.

In the bidding, the partnership of Megawide Construction Corp., a Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE)-listed entity, and Bangalore, India-based GMR Airports Ltd., emerged with the highest offer of P14.404 billion for the right to perform the project.

However, the project awarding has since been deferred, following a complaint lodged by the second-highest bidder, the Filinvest Development Corp., also a PSE-listed entity, and Changi Airports MENA (Middle East and North Africa) Pte. Ltd., which offered P13.999 billion.