SPIA Consortium Bags Contract to Develop Sangley Airport

The Provincial Government of Cavite (PGC) has formally awarded the SPIA Development Consortium to develop the $11-billion Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA) Project. This was announced late last week on September 15, a day after the contract was awarded. Earlier in November 2021, the consortium submitted an unsolicited proposal to the PGC.

Infrastructure development company Cavitex Holdings, Inc. (CHI) leads the consortium. Other members consist of financial firm House of Investments Inc. (HI) and LT Group’s aviation service arm MacroAsia Corporation (MAC). The consortium also includes foreign members such as Samsung C&T Corporation, Munich Airport International GmbH, and Ove Arup & Partners Hong kong Limited.

Samsung C&T Corporation is more widely known as the engineering firm that constructed the Burj Khalifa. It will serve as the consortium’s lead engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor. Meanwhile, Munich Airport International GmbH will be the technical consultant for the airport concept of operations and maintenance. Ove Arup & Partners Hong kong Limited, on the other hand, will serve as the lead master development planner.

“This new airport is the future of the country. This airport is the hope of the country. The Province is just a small player. But if we work together, we can do this for our people,” expressed Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla. The PGC and the consortium have 18 months from the signing of the Joint Venture and Development Agreement, which is projected to take place next month, to finalize the project’s design and business plan before beginning construction.

“The challenge is great, but the SPIA Development Consortium is very well prepared for the work at hand, highly committed to deliver within the project timelines because of the local and international members who are all highly reputable developers and investors that have enviable track records in developing large-scale infrastructure projects,” explained the consortium.

Sangley Airport aims to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to meet the demand for air transport in the next 30 to 40 years. Phase 1 of the project will cover the airport’s first runway, which will be operational by 2028. Phase 2, on the other hand, includes the expansion to a two-runway system with a projected capacity of 80 million passengers annually.

According to the consortium, the airport is expandable to four runways to further increase capacity to 130 million. The PGC notes that 50,000 jobs and economic activities will be generated by the project. In 2019, the PCG awarded the project to the consortium of China Communications Construction Co (CCCC). This was later canceled in January 2021.

Sources: Manila Bulletin, ABS CBN