DOTC Secretary leads ground cement pouring of new airport terminal

DOTC Secretary Jose Abaya led the ceremonial ground cement pouring of the Terminal 2 of the Mactan Cebu International Airport by switching on the concrete mixer . (CDN PHOTO/VANESSA CLAIRE LUCERO)

Transportation Secretary Jose Abaya came down to Cebu to lead the ceremonial ground cement pouring of the Terminal 2 of Mactan-Cebu International Airport Friday morning.

He was with Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority general manager Nigel Paul Villarete and executives of GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) including Louie Ferrer, president; and chief advisor Andrew Acquaah Harrison.

Abaya said that the Terminal 2 is just one of many public-private partnership projects (PPP) that the government is engaged in.

He said the government believed that PPP is a good strategy to ensure development of infrastructure that will help support economic growth for our country.

“PPP is better explained through Mactan Cebu airport through the improvements, not only the physical upgrades but also improvement of service,” said Abaya.

“Construction and ground works on the site have been on-going for over a month prior to the ground pouring and we’re very glad that we are here performing the ceremonial ground pouring,” he said.

GMCAC chief advisor Andrew Acquaah Harrison explains to Sec. Abaya the upgrades being done by the company at the airport. (CDN PHOTO/VANESSA CLAIRE LUCERO)

Abaya added that the construction of a new terminal is needed because Cebu has become a major tourism hub.

The Terminal 2 is expected to be completed in February 2018 said Ferrer.

It will have a total floor area of over 65,000 square meters in all three floors.

“MCIA Terminal 2 will definitely not be delayed. We will be working hard to deliver it ahead of the set target,” said Harrison.

Once completed, the new terminal will triple the annual carrying capacity of the airport from 4.5 million to 12.5 million passengers.