GMR-megawide wants Cebuanos’ inputs, too Cobonpue tapped to design airport

CEBU, Philippines - World-renowned Cebuano designer Kenneth Cobonpue will likely take charge of the design of the Mactan Cebu International Airport expansion project.

Cobonpue told reporters recently that he had been approached by representatives of Filipino-owned Megawide Construction Corp. and Bangalore-based GMR Airports, which won last Friday the Mactan airport deal after posting the highest bid of P14.4 billion.

“We had been discussing,” Cobonpue said, adding that he was aware of the delays in the bidding for the project.

Cobonpue has had his share of bureaucratic red tape when he, along with designer Budji Layug and architect Royal Pineda, designed a rehabilitation plan for the more than 30-year-old Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 for free.

Their offer, however, was turned down by then Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

The three made the offer after the NAIA Terminal 1 topped the list of a travel website’s world’s lousiest airports to sleep in 2012.  The airport also appeared in similar lists in 2013.

Louie Ferrer, Megawide chief marketing officer, said the other day they aim to start construction in the early part of 2015, as the terms of reference set that the new terminal should be delivered within 36 months.

But even before the GMR-Megawide consortium was awarded the project, its officials said they have already been meeting private stakeholders in line with their aim to make the MCIA project a collaborative effort with inputs from Cebuanos.

Ferrer and Andrew Acuaah-Harrison, GMR deputy chief executive officer, both said they have particularly met with tourism, hospitality and airline sector representatives to discuss airport operations so they could holistically develop the MCIA.

“I told them (GMR-Megawide officials) to come back to me after the project has been awarded to them,” Cobonpue said.

Meanwhile, Filinvest-Changi consortium, has expressed disappointment over the decision of the Department of Transportation and Communication  to award the project to GMR-Megawide consortium.

Filinvest-Changi, the second highest bidder for the MCIA expansion project, was the one that raised before authorities several concerns against GMR-Megawide over alleged violations of bidding rules.

In its official statement released yesterday, or two days after DOTC awarded GMR-Megawide the project contract, Filinvest-Changi said it is saddened  that the issues it raised against GMR-Megawide has been ignored.

“We note the decision of DOTC to award the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Project to the GMR-Megawide Consortium. We are disappointed by the DOTC Prequalification, Bids and Awards Committee’s dismissal of the issues we had raised during the post-qualification review of the MCIA project.”

After the DOTC announced the names of the consortiums that passed the prequalification process of the bidding, Filinvest-Changi submitted a letter raising numerous concerns against GMR-Megawide, including a violation of bidding rules on conflict of interest as well as questionable financial capacity and long-term commitment.

“We believe that the conflict of interest issue and other matters raised are valid, relevant and substantive to the bidding process and rules,” read the Filinvest-Changi statement.  The group added that its primary concern in raising the issues was to ensure adherence to the bidding process and rules to produce the best outcome for the Philippines.

In a recent interview, Filinvest-Changi consortium officials stressed that they also do not want to delay the start of the project but only wants what is best for Cebu and the MCIA.

“If they just follow the bidding rules, we are in good ground,” said Filinvest executive vice president and chief operating officer Eleuterio D. Coronel, in an interview weeks before the project was awarded last Friday.

In that same interview, Coronel was asked if they intend to bring the matter to court if GMR-Megawide gets the contract.

His answer was that they would have to determine how DOTC sheds light on their concerns. (FREEMAN)