ANG proposed Bulacan International Airport project.

 

Ni: Jonnalyn Cortez

INAPRUBAHAN ng National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board ang project negotiation report ng concession agreement sa pagitan ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) at San Miguel Holdings Corporation sa nalalapit na pagtatayo ng bagong paliparan o aerotropolis sa Bulacan na tatawaging New Manila International Airport (BMIA).

Pagkatapos aprubahan ng NEDA ang project negotiation report, ipapasuri naman ng DOTr ang kasunduan saka ihahatid ang report ng NEDA Board approval sa SMC.

Pag-apruba ng NEDA

Sinabi ni Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III na noong nakaraang pulong ng NEDA Board, inaprubahan ng “Cabinet-level, interagency body” ang mga concession agreements para sa panukalang Bulacan International Airport project. Kabilang din dito ang “operation and maintenance (O&M)” ng Clark International Airport expansion project sa kondisyong wala itong garantiya mula sa pamahalaan.

Dagdag naman ni Socioeconomic Planning Secretary at NEDA chief Ernesto M. Pernia na dahil walang garantiya ng gobyerno sa concession agreement, na siya namang sinang-ayunan ng San Miguel Corporation (SMC), mas mataas pa ang inaasahang standard na gagawin nito kumpara sa Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

“In the case of the Mactan-Cebu airport, it earned P1.1 billion in 2017, which was 48-percent higher than the P752-million projected net income during the appraisal stage done to secure the NEDA Board approval for the project,” paliwanag ni Dominguez sa isang senate hearing noong Setyembre 2018.

“And yet, the government still made the commitment that there will be no other competing airports in Mactan and Cebu. Now, should the government later on want to build a new airport in the area to serve our OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) and other tourists, we would be required to reimburse not just market value of the infrastructure assets, but also the future profit of the commercial business until the end of the concession.”

Sinabi naman ni Pernia na isa itong patunay na may advantage ang gobyerno sa proyekto.

“These are substantial features, proving the project is adequately advantageous to the government.”

Dadaan pa rin ang proposal sa matinding pagsisiyasat sa Office of the Solicitor General at Department of Finance (DoF) bago ito sumailalim sa Swiss challenge, kung saan maaaring mag-bid ang ibang mga kumpanya. Pagkatapos nito, maaaring tapatan o taasan pa ito ng orihinal na nagbigay ng proposal bago igawad sa mananalo.

Ani Dominguez, inaasahang maigagawad ang paggawa ng proyekto sa unang quarter ng 2019.

ERNESTO M. Pernia sinabing tinaas ng panukalang Bulacan International Airport project ang standard sa paggawa nito.

 

Bulacan International Airport project

Isa umanong “unsolicited public-private partnership proposal” ang Bulacan International Airport project. Sakop nito ang pagtatayo, pagpapaktakbo at maintenance ng paliparan na itatayo sa 2,500-ektaryang lupain sa Bulakan, Bulacan.

Nagkakahalaga ng P735.6 bilyon ang budget para sa naturang proyekto.

Siniguro ng presidente ng SMC na si Ramon S. Ang na kaya ng kumpanya na ibigay ang budget na ito.

“SMC has the financial resources and the technical capabilities to deliver on our promise to construct a new international airport to support our booming Philippine tourism and the fast economic growth,” paliwanag nito.

“In five to six years, we’ll be able to complete the first two runways with passenger capacity of 50 million passengers a year. When completed, it will have a capacity for 100 million passengers.”

Tulad ng sinabi ni Ang, magkakaroon ng kapasidad ang bagong paliparan na serbisyuhan ang 100 milyong pasahero o mas higit pa, tatlong beses na mas malaki ito kumpara sa Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Plano ring magtayo ng SMC ng isang 8.4-kilometer toll road na magkokonekta ng paliparan sa North Luzon Expressway. Inaasahang mabubuo ang proyekto sa loob ng anim na taon.

 

RAMON S. Ang, sinigurong kaya ng SMC ibigay ang budget para sa Bulacan International Airport project.

 

Trabaho at tulong sa mga Pilipino

Lilikha ng halos isang milyong direct at indirect na trabaho sa loob ng anim na taon ang pagtatayo ng Bulacan International Airport project.

“Once the airport project is given the green light to proceed with construction, we will tap our best workers from here and overseas,” pahayag ni Ang.

“It’s a massive undertaking. We will need Filipino talents in engineering, construction, hospitality, and airport-related services. Hopefully, this will give many of our OFWs a reason to come home, be with their families, and at the same time help in building a better future for our nation.”

Dagdag din ni Ang, magiging malaki ang pakinabang sa mga OFW ng bagong paliparan.

“Our modern-day heroes have been dreaming of a world-class airport for such a long time. We want to make that dream a reality for our migrant workers at no cost to the Philippine government,” paliwanag nito.

“We will make sure that our OFWs will be very comfortable in the new airport. Given their enormous contributions to the country, they deserve nothing less.”