SMC wins NAIA Expressway project on P11-B bid

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) on Monday won the bidding held by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the proposed 10-kilometer Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) expressway project. In an interview with reporters, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said wholly-owned unit Optimal Infrastructure Development Corporation submitted the winning bid of P11 billion, beating Metro Pacific Investments Corporation's (MPIC) Manila North Tollways Luzon Corporation's (MNTC) bid. Two other bidders—the Ayala Corporation-led consortium ACI and IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd.—did not submit their bids on April 8. The four-lane, 7.75-kilometer elevated expressway and 2.22 km at-grade feeder road is expected to ease traffic going to the airport. It will link the NAIA Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to PAGCOR Entertainment City, the integrated casino, hotel, retail and entertainment area going up on reclaimed land along Manila Bay. It will also link the South Luzon Expressway's (SLEX) Skyway and the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (Cavitex). “The winner in this case is the government and the locators in the PAGCOR Entertainment City. I hope they will be more helpful in the right of way acquisition,” said Singson. The project involves the improvement of Phase 1—completed by SMC’s Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation when it constructed an off-ramp leading to Terminal 3—the construction of Phase 2, the construction of at-grade feeder roads leading to and from PAGCOR Entertainment City, and operation and maintenance. The expressway is a public-private partnership (PPP) project. PPP Center executive director Cosette Canilao earlier said the government will implement the pass or fail scheme on the technical proposals for the project under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) law. “In accordance with the BOT law, it’s just pass or fail. Once a bidder passes, the opening of its financial bid will be allowed,” she said. The government expects to receive an upfront cash payment of P11 billion from SMC. “The government will not spend a single centavo for this project,” said Singson. So far, the government has rolled out two PPP projects: the 4-kilometer road that will link Daang Hari road in Cavite to the South Luzon Expressway, won by Ayala Corporation for P902 million in 2011, and the P16.42-billion Phase 1 of the PPP1 for School Infrastructure project, undertaken by Citicore Holdings Investment Inc.-Megawide Construction Corp. Inc. and BF Corp.-Riverbanks Development Corp. consortium. — BM/VS, GMA News