The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will bundle the Davao, Siargao, and Bicol airports together for a single public-private partnership tender, ensuring that all three airports receive private investment and development even if some are less commercially attractive on their own, Transportation Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez said Saturday.
Lopez explained the details in an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday on August 29, as part of the DZRH SONA 2026 Series featuring the DOTr.
He said the bundling strategy is used precisely when a mix of high-demand and community airports are involved, making it commercially viable for a private partner to invest in less profitable airports in exchange for the returns from the more popular ones.
“Kapag binabundle po kasi natin ‘yan, obligado po yung nananalo na pati yung service level agreement and service level po na ibibigay niya ay kasama po yung mga iba’t ibang airport. That’s why we bundle it po. That’s the main reason for that,” Lopez said.
He said the winning private concessionaire will be required to meet defined passenger capacity and service standards for all airports in the bundle — not just the profitable ones — ensuring that communities served by smaller airports are not left behind.
Lopez said the DOTr has successfully applied the bundling model with other airports, including Clark, Cebu’s Mactan, Bohol Panglao, and Laguindingan, where private concessionaires have committed to specific investment levels for each airport as a condition of their concession.
He said government will continue to fund and maintain all airports in the bundle during the PPP procurement process, ensuring that operations are not disrupted while the private partners are being selected and brought on board.
