DOTR urged to extend bid deadline for airport rehabilitation project

TWO administration lawmakers yesterday urged the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTR) to heed the advice of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to extend by one month the bidding for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) rehabilitation project to ensure due diligence and avoid a monopoly.

“The ADB is an expert in this kind of projects. We hope that their call for a deadline extension of the submission of bids will be taken into consideration. It’ll be better to give the DOTR more options in choosing the most qualified to carry out the project. A huge amount is at stake, due diligence is a must,” said Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano, chairperson of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development.

Rep. Marissa Magsino (PL, OFW) said a one-month delay in the bidding for the project “will be more beneficial.”

“If extending the deadline for proposals on these plans will allow the government to choose from more reputable companies and secure the most cost-effective agreement, then the one-month delay eventually will be more beneficial,” Magsino said.

“The only thing we want to ensure in whatever decision the government will make is that the people will not be shortchanged; the option we will take must vastly improve the services of NAIA, solve capacity issues, upgrade the technology infrastructure, and ensure steady and reliable operation for the benefit of air passengers, especially our OFWs,” she added.

Magsino said the DOTR leadership “must seriously consider the proposal and heed the clamor from stakeholders and government leaders to have the deadline extended.”

“We believe the leadership of the Department of Transportation and the Manila International Airport Authority, in coordination with the National Economic Development Authority, have exhaustively studied the pros and cons of the rehabilitation and expansion of NAIA through concession agreements, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of privatized operations for our international airports. Lastly, we hope the winning proposal will not result in higher terminal fees for air passengers. The government must retain its authority in the pricing of fees,” she also said.

The lawmakers