In the spirit of fairness and because ThinkingPinoy acknowledges everyone's Right of Reply, reproduced verbatim et in toto below is the Department of Transportation's response to the 05 June 2019 ThinkingPinoy article "On Bulacan Int'l Aiport, Duterte Finance Secretary's personal interests against Common Good?"
Note that I also included in this article a response to this DoTr letter.
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6 June 2019
MR. REY JOSEPH NIETO
Thinking Pinoy
tp@thinkingpinoy.net
Dear Mr. Nieto:
My warmest greetings.
I write in connection to your article entitled, “On Bulacan Int'l Airport, Duterte Finance Secretary's personal interests against Common Good?,” that was posted on your website yesterday, 05 June 2019.
I have read the subject article, and I must say that I deeply appreciate your concern for the welfare of Filipino air passengers.
In the spirit of transparency, allow me to update you on three airport development projects mentioned in the article, namely, the Clark International Airport (CRK), the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), and the proposed New Manila International Airport (NMIA) in Bulacan.
1. Clark International Airport
Indeed, providing more gateways to Filipinos will enhance the connectivity and mobility across the country and throughout the world. This is why the DOTr and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), under the current administration, is working on the expansion of the CRK.
The construction of the CRK’s new Passenger Terminal Building (PTB) is among the first projects under the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” Program to be implemented through the hybrid public-private partnership (PPP) scheme, and the fastest to be accomplished by far by the government.
CRK’s project has been planned by the government for 20 years, but under the Duterte administration, the project finally broke ground in 2017. At present, construction of the new PTB is 66.5% complete, and is on-track for completion by mid-2020.
There is also a planned construction for a second runway, two kilometers away from the first one, making for an independent and simultaneous runway.
In January 2019, the Duterte administration sealed the contract for the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of the CRK with the North Luzon Airport Consortium, which includes the Changi Airport Group, the operator of the world’s best airport, the Singapore Changi Airport.
2. Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Concrete efforts have been launched to improve the NAIA as the country’s premier gateway.
We wish to apprise you that the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has already started rehabilitation works for NAIA’s Terminal 2 on 19 September 2018. Upgrades include the expansion of the arrival baggage hall departure check-in area, power and lightings, fire protection, electronics, and communication system. Rehabilitation works are expected to be completed on 11 March 2020.
For the full rehabilitation of NAIA, the NAIA Consortium submitted its unsolicited proposal for the project in February 2018. It has been granted an Original Proponent Status (OPS) six months after.
Now, the unsolicited proposal NAIA Rehabilitation Project is undergoing processing and evaluation by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) Secretariat.
Once the unsolicited proposal is approved, the Competitive (Swiss) Challenge Process will immediately commence.
3. New Manila International Airport
The proposed NMIA in Bulacan aspires to bring more connectivity to Filipinos.
DOTr's acceptance of the unsolicited proposal from San Miguel is precisely due to the increasing demand and constraints now experienced at the NAIA. In the processing and evaluation of the San Miguel proposal for a new international airport, DOTr adhered to all existing policies, laws, rules and regulations governing unsolicited proposals.
We believe that there is no conflict between New Manila / Bulacan International Airport (NMIA) and Clark International Airport (CIA) since the airports will have its own market and are, in fact, complementary. Thus, these two airports including the NAIA will be best beneficial to the passengers and users of the airports as they will have more options that would serve their needs. These airports are not mutually exclusive, are not contingent on each other, and, therefore, may co-exist.
In the review and subsequent approval by the NEDA Board Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) of the NMIA (Bulacan Airport), due diligence was undertaken by the ICC to ensure, not only that NMIA is economically and financially feasible, but that it complies with the policies and requirements of law and its implementing rules and regulations governing unsolicited proposals, and, avoid any potential government contingent liabilities that may arise from the Project. In addition, ICC's due diligence will also ensure that the Project will be successfully implemented and its objectives realized as it is to best interests of the public and the economy. It may further be mentioned that ICC is a collegial body composed of several Cabinet Secretaries, and any decision they arrived at are done collegially-- not just by one member, but unanimously by all members.
On the other hand, NMIA is now in its advance stage of processing having commenced the Competitive (Swiss) Challenge Process which will end in July 31, 2019. Thereafter, contract negotiations will commence and the subsequent signing of the Concession Agreement (CA) with the winning Proponent to start project implementation.
It is expected that the NMIA will be operational in four (4) to six (6) years from the start of construction in 2020.
One Government, One Team
The DOTr works hand in hand with other member-departments of the Build, Build, Build Inter-Agency Committee, including the Department of Finance (DOF), to ensure that needed infrastructure projects will be built and experienced soon by our countrymen.
Let me also note that I have faith in the astute judgment of DOF Secretary Carlos Dominguez. I have known him for so many years, even during my early days of doing business. This is the reason why I can vouch that he embodies the esteemed values of honesty, integrity, hard work, diligence, and patriotism. Secretary Dominguez is a true servant of the Filipino people.
The DOTr understands that the NEDA ICC is expediently dispensing its duty of completing the evaluation of the NMIA development project, so the Filipinos will finally experience the comfortable life that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has promised through enhanced mobility and connectivity.
Once again, we extend our deepest gratitude for your support to the projects of the Duterte administration, and the DOTr.
Let us work together to raise the quality of life of the Filipino people.
Thank you very much.
Respectfully yours,
(Sgd) ARTHUR P. TUGADE
Secretary
Department of Transportation
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TP's Response
06 June 2019
ARTHUR P. TUGADE
Secretary
Department of Transportation
Dear Sec. Tugade,
I sincerely appreciate your spending your valuable time in addressing most of the concerns I raised in the 05 June 2019 article. Truth be told, I have thus far been commending your many accomplishments in the Transportation Department. Let me say on a personal note that I actually like you a lot because you remind me of Tatang, my late grandfather who was very close to me.
I will not ask anymore why you and not Sec. Dominguez wrote to me.
Going back to topic, I have never been and never will be adversarial to the government by default, though I reserve the option to be so if and when the need arises.
Nevertheless, I am happy to hear that efforts to address the aviation infrastructure backlog are now in full swing. With that said, I will still be taking the statements about Finance Sec. Dominguez' qualities with a grain of salt in light of his conflicts of interest as extensively discussed in the ThinkingPinoy article.
Based on your letter, I understand that the four core issues Sec. Dominguez raised against the NMIA have been addressed and that the government is proceeding with the Swiss Challenge phase.
I sincerely am very happy to hear that, though I shall still be on the lookout for any signs of another undue delay.
Mr. Secretary, I honestly dislike involving myself in squabbles between businessmen, as my core interest lies not on corporate warfare but on finding ways to get things done for the Filipino People. That is, even if businessmen end up financially hurting each other but the end product still furthers the Greater Good (or at least my best understanding of it), then I shall have no complaints.
I believe that we both acknowledge the reality that the Filipino People have been suffering for so long, and that it is our lifelong task as citizens to alleviate that suffering instead of adding to it. We may have different views on how accomplish that task but I guess that's just the way things are and I have no issue with it being so.
Needless to say, I strongly support the Duterte Administration as it is a drastic departure from the Old Politics that has plagued our country for decades, but I support the administration's efforts only as long as it aligns with my best understanding of Public Interest.
I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, Mr. Secretary, but I try to be as sharp as I can possibly be.
Maraming salamat po.
Respectfully,
REY JOSEPH NIETO
REY JOSEPH NIETO
Publisher
ThinkingPinoy
P. S. Saan mo po ba nabili sir yung Mickey Mouse mo na medyas (see below) na sinuot mo doon sa interview with Boy Abunda? Gusto ko rin po kasing bumili.
Yung nagpainterview is Sec. Art Tugade while wearing Mickey Mouse Socks.
I like this guy.😂
Posted by Thinking Pinoy on Saturday, April 13, 2019
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