NAIA Terminal 1 Rehabilitation Postponed to January

The desperately needed rehabilitation of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, voted the World's Worst Airport for a number of consecutive years, has been postponed until January by the Department of Transportation and Communications. 

Copyright Photo: Angelo Agcamaran/PPSG

"There were several cabinet meetings scheduled to discuss Typhoon Yolanda, so we cannot get a quorom from the Government Procurement Policy Board," said Catherine Gonzales, DOTC Undersecretary. "The board will meet December 6 to set a new schedule for the bidding and to discuss NAIA 1." She added that the agency was hoping to bid out the project this month and award it by the end of the year. 

The bidding for the P1.16 billion structural retrofitting and rehabilitation of NAIA Terminal 1 was originally scheduled for November 15 with construction supposed to have commenced by December 1. However, it now appears that construction will not begin until January 1 at the earliest. 

As part of the project, the winning bidder is tasked with improving the structural integrity of Terminal 1 while engaging in engineering, architectural, and interior design works to improve the internal facilities including the complete rehabilitation of 72 toilets. Construction of a rapid exit taxiway has been included in the project to address runway congestion. 

The Department of Transportation and Communications estimates the project to be completed by November of 2014 just in time for the ministerial meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in 2015. 

Meanwhile, the DOTC revealed that it will be bundling the Operation and Maintenance Contracts of the Iloilo. Bacolod, and Davao Airport Terminals to make them more attractive to bidders.