Project to make airport capable of receiving A340, 787 aircraft
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

During her recent visit to Negros Occidental, outgoing house speaker, Pampanga second district Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, revealed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and Department of Transportation (DoTr) are currently evaluating an unsolicited offer by a Davao City-based company to expand and develop Bacolod-Silay Airport.
She was in the province on a “sentimental journey” as part of her retirement from politics. Her son, Mikey Arroyo, will replace her in Congress after winning her seat in this year’s midterm elections.
According to the former president, the Udenna Infrastructure Corporation earlier submitted a P19.3 billion proposal for the project. The firm is owned by Dennis Uy, who also chairs transport firm 2GO Group Inc., along with Phoenix Petroleum being a subsidiary of the Udenna Corporation.
In addition, Uy is also overseeing the development of Clark City in Pampanga.
Meanwhile, aviation consulting firm AirTrav Inc. is also said to have submitted an unsolicited proposal.
Macapagal Arroyo expressed confidence the project would proceed, noting, evaluation has now moved from the technical to the financial aspect.
Bacolod-Silay Airport was one of five regional airports under a bundled public-private partnership structure before DOTr made a policy shift.
The airport was one of the major projects during Macapagal Arroyo’s tenure as president.
Among the facilities being eyed for improvements and upgrades include terminal building development, and expansion of the runway in order to accommodate wide-body aircraft such as the Airbus A340 and Boeing 787./DGB, WDJ