The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, headed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday confirmed approvals of nine projects, led by the upgrade of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

The tender for airport’s awaited upgrade amounts to P74.6 billion, a statement by the NEDA said.

The transport department said it plans to roll out the auction for the P74.56 billion contract to operate and maintain the airport by January 2017.

Transport Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Robert Lim said the agency is finalizing the terms for the bidding of the redevelopment and operation and maintenance of the airport.

Lim said the date for bid submission of the project will be in August 2017.

The airport’s upgrade is the Department of Transportation’s medium-term solution doable within 3 years to improve safety and security, maximize capacity through “refreshed” infrastructure of airside requirements such as air traffic management and improve passenger service standards in the existing airport.

Implementing the airport’s upgrade is through a concession to the private sector for the refurbishing or adding assets for air traffic and land side management, and for passenger services, a statement said.

The transport department expects to begin PPP procurement upon NEDA Board approval this September 2016, and award and sign a concession agreement by September 2017.

The concession period is for 15-20 years, including design and construction, the NEDA statement said.

.A recent study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency showed Ninoy Aquino International Airport would exceeded its capacity this year, with the four terminals taking care of 37.78 million passengers, above its capacity of 30 million,

The nine project approvals cost an estimated P171.14 billion, on September 14, 2016.

“Once implemented and completed, these approved projects will help attain our medium- and long-term development goals of making the agricultural sector competitive, improving mobility by making our transport system safer and more efficient, increasing disaster resiliency, and improving health services ,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia. DMS