The operator of Mactan-Cebu International Airport has submitted a 208-billion peso proposal for a second runway and third terminal.
In a statement, the consortium of GMR Infrastructure of India and Megawide Construction, said the proposals were now in the hands of the government.
Under the proposal, GMR-Megawide intends to take over the airside facilities of the airport currently under the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), as well as to expand the airport to have a capacity of at least 50 million passengers per year.
The proposed upgrade would be undertaken in three phases. The first includes the rehabilitation of the existing runway and taxiways; construction of an extra parallel taxiway to serve as an emergency runway; and the development of rapid exit taxiways and runway holding positions.
The second phase would cover the construction of a second parallel and independent runway, while the third phase would see the construction of a third terminal.
“We have always believed in the potential of the airport as the primary gateway to serve Visayas and Mindanao,” GMR-Megawide director Louie Ferrer said.
“Passenger traffic has shown incredible growth in the last two or three years. While this is good news for the country, especially for Cebu, we want to ensure that the airport can ably cope with this continued progress.
“Our studies show that passenger traffic in Cebu will reach about 28 million passenger per year in 2039. This is traffic similar to major Asian airports such as Singapore, New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur, among others.
“Part of our plan is to ensure the airport will be able to avoid airfield congestion like the kind experienced by NAIA [Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila], and continue efficient operations despite this increasing traffic.”
In order to minimise the impact on surrounding communities, the proposals include a possible reclamation scheme in Magellan Bay.
“We took into account the number of residents that may be affected by the airport expansion. We will be adopting an approach that prevents any adverse effect on their daily lives,” Mr Ferrer said.
Once complete, the airport would become the first in the Philippines with two parallel runways.
GMR-Megawide is currently building a second terminal at the airport, which is due to open in June next year. This new facility will raise the airport’s official capacity from 4.5 million to 12.5.
Last year, the the airport handled 8.9 million passengers.