MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered concerned agencies to expedite the development and completion of the Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA) in Cavite.
The SPIA aims to ease congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and establish a key international aviation gateway for the Philippines.
The President issued Administrative Order (AO) 44 directing closer coordination among national government agencies, Cavite provincial government, and private sector partners involved in the project to ensure its timely completion.
The President also ordered strict compliance with environmental laws and requirements throughout the project’s development.
The order created a Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG), co-chaired by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) to facilitate the airport’s faster completion.
The JTWG is tasked to address issues that could delay the project and ensure that reclamation activities comply with environmental and technical requirements.
Its members include the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Justice (DOJ), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and Cavite provincial government.
The DENR and PRA will establish monitoring mechanisms to protect marine and coastal ecosystems that may be affected by reclamation and construction activities.
“There is a need to enhance coordination of various government agencies, local government units in the province of Cavite, and private sector partners, and streamline regulatory and administrative processes, in order to ensure the timely completion of the SPIA,” the AO read.
Under the AO, the DOTr will provide overall policy direction for the airport and coordinate government actions for its development. It will also oversee the SPIA’s integration into the greater capital region airport system and the country’s air transport network.
CAAP, meanwhile, will provide technical and regulatory oversight over the airport’s planning, design, development, and operational readiness, including the issuance of necessary certifications and authorizations.
The PRA will oversee the project’s reclamation component, including the review and approval of reclamation plans and compliance with technical requirements.
It is also tasked to review applicable fees and charges related to the project’s non-saleable reclamation component.
The JTWG and concerned agencies were ordered to take the necessary actions to ensure the availability of the Sangley Point land for the development of the airport.
