MANILA - Four groups have submitted bids for the operation, maintenance and upgrade of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the Department of Transportation said on Wednesday.

Eight groups earlier bought bid documents, but only half submitted a bid before the 10 a.m. deadline of December 27, 2023, the agency said.

The Department of Transportation said the 4 groups that submitted bids are the Manila International Airport Consortium, Asian Airport Consortium, GMR Airports Consortium, and SMC SAP & Co.

Notable conglomerates joining the bidding are Aboitiz InfraCapital, Ayala’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Alliance Global-Infracorp, Filinvest, and JG Summit Holdings which are among the groups forming the Manila International Airport Consortium.

GMR Airports earlier operated the Mactan Cebu International Airport and now it is joined by the Yuchencgco-led House of Investments and Cavitex Holdings in the NAIA project.

SMC or San Miguel Corporation, meanwhile, is building the new international airport in Bulacan.

• MIAC eyes increasing NAIA capacity to 70-M passengers per annum by 2048
• DOTr says 4 entities eyeing NAIA rehabilitation project

DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said he is very excited to work with the winning bidder which they expect to announce in the first quarter of 2024.

Bautista said they will check the technical qualifications and financial capacity of the bidders in the weeks to come.

Bautista again reiterated the need to upgrade NAIA saying it is congested because it only has a 32 million annual passenger capacity, but already hit nearly 50 million passengers. He expects annual passenger capacity to reach 60 million with the rehab project.

Watch more News on iWantTFC