Aboitiz group keen on Davao airport

THE ABOITIZ group has expressed interest in managing and operating Davao International Airport, signaling its continued expansion in the airport management sector.

“We are looking into it, depending on the terms. It depends on how it comes out,” Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) President and Chief Executive Officer Sabin M. Aboitiz said on the sidelines of a Cebu Pacific event last week. AEV is the listed holding company of the Aboitiz group.

This follows the recent success of Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz group, in securing the contract for Laguindingan International Airport in Northern Mindanao.

Mr. Aboitiz said the company is waiting for the government to issue the terms of reference, as it wants the auction for modernizing and operating Davao International Airport to follow a solicited process.

“The government said they decided to do it via solicited (scheme). They are not accepting unsolicited offers now,” Mr. Aboitiz said.

In September, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) said a conglomerate had expressed interest in submitting an unsolicited proposal to manage and operate Davao International Airport.

Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista declined to name the company, explaining that it had not yet submitted its formal proposal.

Mr. Bautista said Aboitiz InfraCapital will sign the concession agreement for the operations and maintenance of Laguindingan Airport within this month, while the company is expected to take over next year.

Further, the DoTr expects to award the contract for the New Bohol-Panglao International Airport within the year, with the Swiss challenge deadline set for Nov. 11.

The Swiss or comparative challenge allows other companies to submit alternative proposals to a project, with the original proponent having the right to match them.

Valued at P4.5 billion through a public–private partnership scheme, this project is expected to serve approximately 3.9 million passengers per year once completed.

The Aboitiz group secured in 2018 the original proponent status for the New Bohol-Panglao International Airport’s operations and maintenance (O&M) under a 25-year concession period.

Asked whether other companies have submitted their proposals for the Bohol airport, Mr. Bautista said that to date, no companies or other parties have expressed their interest.

The Aboitiz group also manages and operates Mactan-Cebu International Airport after finalizing a deal with Megawide Construction Corp. and GMR Airports International B.V., allowing it to acquire shares in GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp., the company behind the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. — Ashley Erika O. Jose