Panglao and Daraga airport readied for 2011

Funded under PPP

September 5, 2010

Panglao and Daraga airport is set for project implementation in 2011 with completion date at 2014 and 2015 respectively according to the notice advanced by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)to Congress for the new administration's 2011 budget.

The two newest international standard airports is part of a list of 10 priority projects that will be implemented in 2011 through Public Private Partnership program (PPP) of the government which is initiated by President Benigno Aquino III.

President Aquino announced the PPP scheme during his State-of-the-Nation address, saying the government by itself could not finance capital-intensive infrastructure projects.

Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad said the capital outlay for these projects would largely come from private sector funds with the national government funding P15 billion as a strategic support fund for PPP projects which include the construction of two domestic airports as part of key tourism-related infrastructure.

“The government is looking forward to generating P180 billion to P200 billion in PPP (public-private partnership) undertakings” next year, Abad said.

“We look forward to working with Congress to make sure that PPP will really work to our benefit,” Abad said.

The airport projects will be offered to investors next month for funding as they are expected to bridge the gap on the revenue shortfall experienced by the government for it to be implemented.

The P4.2 billion Panglao airport is set to replace the congested airport of Tagbilaran which can no longer be expanded due to residential an commercial restrictions as a result of its proximity to the City, while the P3.4 billion Daraga airport is set to replace the airport of Legaspi which has terrain issues affecting navigational safety restricting its future growth as a commercial hub in the Bicol region.

Meanwhile, construction of new Tacloban airport terminal as well as expansion of Dipolog airport terminal building will also commence in 2011 under regular appropriations.

PPP's are priority projects solicited by the government. Those offered would be subjected to the usual tender process. It would take six months for solicited projects and nine months for those that are unsolicited to be approved for implementation.

No comments:

Post a Comment