Capitol, MCIAA, GMR-Megawide eye partnership to develop Camotes, Bantayan airports

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia (left) said the Capitol is now on initial talks with MCIAA through General Manager Steve Dicdican (right) for the improvement of Camotes Island Airport. (File)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC), the firm that operates the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA), may partner with the Capitol in developing the airports of Bantayan and Camotes Islands.

Louie Ferrer, the president of GMCAC, will join Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) General Manager Steve Dicdcican in inspecting the Camotes Island Airport on Monday, November 25.

Garcia said from the inspection, GMCAC may decide if they will take further steps in developing the airport.

Read: Capitol, MCIAA start talks on planned improvement of Camotes Island airstrip

Louie Ferrer, president of Mactan Cebu International Airport operator GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) | Contributed photo-MCIA photo

“GM Dicdican will be traveling to Camotes as well to inspect the airport. But here is the good news: GMR Megawide is also interested in developing both Bantayan and Camotes airports. Mokuyog sad si Mr. Louie Ferrer sa GMR,” Garcia said.

“First, they will inspect. There is a possibility that they (GMCAC) might show interest in putting in the civil works in developing the airport,” Garcia said.

If GMCAC will commit to the development of the airports, Garcia said they will decide on the arrangement of the investment, whether it will be a joint venture or in a Build, Transfer, Operate (BTO) scheme.

“For the right to operate, we will weight all possibilities. They could enter into a joint venture with the Province of Cebu. We’ll see how it goes,” Garcia said.

The 27-hectare lot where the Camotes Airport sits is owned by the Cebu provincial government.

Tourists experience the breathtaking view of Lake Danao in the town of San Francisco, one of the prime tourism destinations on Camotes Islands located along the northern section of Cebu province. (CDN FILE PHOTO)

Garcia earlier said that they are on initial talks with MCIAA for the development of the Camotes Island airport. She said they will pattern their planned upgrade of the Camotes Airport to that of the Bantayan Island.

Read: Commercial airport on Bantayan Island eyed

The under construction terminal of the new Bantayan Airport in Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu being developed for P100 million by the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) in this photo taken on Sept. 30, 2019. | Photo from MCIAA Facebook page

Last September 30, Garcia and Dicdican also inspected the Bantayan Island Airport and entered into a memorandum of agreement for its conversion into a commercial airport that will already cater to regular flights.

Under the terms of the MOA, MCIAA will implement the improvements on the airstrip, including a new 1.2-kilometer runway due for completion in 2020, while the province’s equity will be the 29-hectare province-owned lot where the airport sits./elb