PAGSS airport proposal next in line after Megawide

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc. (PAGSS) will get the first shot at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) project before conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) should Megawide Construction Corp.’s appeal for its original proponent status (OPS) go up in smoke.

A ranking transport official told The STAR that the PAGSS proposal is next in line after Megawide, to be followed by that of SMC.

The official said they are still unaware of the scope of works in the NAIA proposal of PAGSS “since they remain unopened until the Manila International Airport Authority considers them.”

SMC, for its part, disclosed last Friday that its proposal is purely for the airport’s operations and maintenance under a 10-year concession designed to give the government a freer hand to do what it wants with the NAIA, once the P740-billion Bulacan airport is completed and operational.

MIAA general manager told The STAR on Saturday that it has not yet received a letter of appeal or reconsideration from Megawide, whose OPS for the NAIA enhancement project got revoked by MIAA last Tuesday.

“Not aware of any,” he said.

Megawide previously said it would immediately file a motion for reconsideration for its proposal.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade last week said the talks on the OPS of Megawide is not yet completely closed. “If they want to appeal, in my opinion, they can appeal while MIAA is undertaking its reconstruction and rehabilitation program,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cebu’s leading business groups have expressed support to Megawide and are rallying behind the company following the revocation of its OPS.

In a letter addressed to Tugade on Dec. 15, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Felix Taguiam said Megawide has the “credibility, experience, and the drive” to deliver a topnotch airport.

“Megawide worked diligently with the Cebuanos, to achieve this dream of having a world-class gateway to more opportunities the world has to offer,” Taguiam said.

Taguiam said the delivery of the new Mactan Cebu International Airport accelerated the transformation of Cebu into an international destination which sparked new economic growth beyond the airport.

“As a major stakeholder in Cebu’s economic development, we are writing to vouch and confirm the role of Megawide Construction Corp. in the rehabilitation and improvement of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport,” Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. president Steven Yu said in a separate letter to House Committee on Transportation chairman and Samar First District Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento.

Megawide chairman Edgar Saavedra said the company is still very much determined to continue working with the government to rehabilitate Metro Manila’s international gateway and would submit a motion or letter for reconsideration soon.

“We are grateful for the overwhelming support we are receiving. This drives Megawide to work harder and even more unstoppable in delivering world-class infrastructure the Filipinos deserve,” Saavedra said.