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San Miguel Corp. (SMC) clarified this Friday that the conglomerate is not interested in obtaining any share of the income generated by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), highlighting that its proposal purely for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the airport is to ensure it runs better and more efficiently until the SMC P740 billion Manila International Airport project in Bulacan is completed.
This, after the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) revoked Naia’s original proponent status previously granted to construction company Megawide Corp.
In a press release, SMC President and COO Ramon S. Ang, “Our interest in Naia is not intended to replicate what Megawide had in mind for Naia. Our proposal arises solely from the need for it to function effectively and safely for the Filipino people, until our Bulacan airport project is completed. And until our airport is ready, that task must be done. We also let the government decide what to do with the Naia in the future, ”he said.
“Unlike all the proposals that required a revenue share from the Naia, including passenger fares and rental rentals, we are not interested in revenue. We want to improve Naia for passengers. We want it to work more efficiently, to improve service levels, until the new airport is operational. All proceeds will go to Miaa, ”he said.
Ang added that this was actually part of his original proposal for the Bulacan airport development. While developing its airport project, SMC said it can spend for the improvement and operation of Naia, at no cost to the government and without revenue sharing.
However, the Department of Transportation had requested from the beginning to remove this part of the proposal for the Bulacan airport project.
Previously, a consortium of the country’s largest corporations had received approval to rehabilitate and operate the aging Naia, which has been operating well beyond capacity for many years. However, this did not materialize and Megawide was later granted original proponent status.
Ang said his proposed 10-year concession is designed to give the government a freer hand to do whatever it wants with Naia, once the Bulacan airport is finished and operational.
Ang added that in his view, with a new and much larger world-class gateway with four lanes north of Manila, easily accessible via a new and existing infrastructure network, the government could better benefit from the sale or remodeling of Naia’s property.
He said the 646-hectare Naia complex, which is about 2.5 times the size of Bonifacio Global City, could potentially earn the government up to P2 trillion or more, which it can use for various purposes.
The government can then earn more, and even create more jobs, once new commercial or residential developments emerge in the area. Revenues from these new developments will likely be higher than those from airport fees, he said.
