Philippines' DoTr Invites Bids for P766-Million Kalibo, Camiguin, Busuanga Airport Projects
Key Takeaways
- •The Philippine Department of Transportation is auctioning expansion and rehabilitation contracts worth a combined P766 million for the Kalibo, Camiguin, and Busuanga provincial airports.
- •The packages consist of a P174.60 million runway centerline slope correction at Camiguin, a P402.55 million site development and taxiway construction at Busuanga, and a P189.63 million new apron at Kalibo International Airport.
- •Bids may be submitted until Nov. 23, after which the agency will evaluate the proposals and award the contracts.
- •Winning contractors face completion deadlines of 180 calendar days for Camiguin, 280 calendar days including 22 unworkable days for the re-auctioned Busuanga project, and 270 calendar days including 30 unworkable days for Kalibo.
- •The upgrade program aims to enable the airports, which serve tourist destinations such as Boracay, Coron, and Camiguin, to accommodate narrowbody jets like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 amid growing passenger numbers.
MANILA — The Philippine Department of Transportation (DoTr) is auctioning expansion and rehabilitation contracts for three provincial airports — Kalibo, Camiguin, and Busuanga — with a combined value of P766 million.
In separate bid notices dated Oct. 23, the DoTr invited bids for the initial runway centerline slope correction contract at Camiguin airport, carrying a budget ceiling of P174.60 million; the site development and taxiway construction contract at Busuanga airport, capped at P402.55 million; and the construction of a new apron at Kalibo International Airport, valued at P189.63 million.
The packages cover the ground-side fundamentals of airport capacity: aprons are the aircraft parking areas where planes load and unload, taxiways connect those stands to the runway, and the Camiguin work involves correcting the slope along the runway's centerline.
Bidders may submit proposals for the three airport projects until Nov. 23, the agency said, after which the process moves to bid evaluation and contract award.
For the Camiguin airport contract, the winning bidder will have 180 calendar days to complete the work. The DoTr noted that bidders must have previously completed a project of a similar type and quality.
The contractor for the Busuanga project will be given 280 calendar days, inclusive of 22 predetermined unworkable days, to finish the work. The new auction follows the failure of the previous bidding exercise for the project.
For Kalibo International Airport, the winning bidder will have 270 calendar days, inclusive of 30 unworkable days, to complete the apron construction.
The three facilities serve some of the Philippines' best-known tourist destinations. Kalibo International Airport, located in the province of Aklan, is one of the main gateways to the resort island of Boracay, while Busuanga airport provides access to Coron in Palawan province. Camiguin airport serves the island province of Camiguin, which lies off the northern coast of Mindanao.
The DoTr's airport upgrade program is focused on improving provincial airports so they can accommodate at least narrowbody jets amid growing passenger numbers. The ability to handle the standard aircraft used in regional narrowbody operations, such as the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320, points to future efforts to attract direct international flights to these destinations.
BusinessWorld reporter Ashley Erika O. Jose reported this story.
