Government secures foreign partner for Sangley airport expansion

The Marcos administration has secured a commitment from Indian infrastructure giant GMR Group to develop the Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA) in Cavite, in a move aimed at easing congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and boosting regional connectivity.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the agreement was reached during a meeting with GMR Group’s Business Chairman for Energy and International Airports, Srinivas Bommidala, alongside local partners Cavitex Holdings Inc. and Yuchengco-led House of Investments.

DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque expressed strong confidence in GMR Group’s ability to deliver, citing its successful completion of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and the new passenger terminal at Clark International Airport despite pandemic-related challenges.

“GMR has been a trusted partner of the Philippines since 2014 and is widely recognized for its successful delivery,” Roque said. “The Philippines is fully committed to improving its connectivity within its 7,600 islands and the rest of the world, and I believe the GMR Group shares the same commitment with us in their latest project.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored the project’s strategic significance, saying it could create up to 15,000 jobs and generate an estimated $500 million in government revenue. He assured the consortium that the national government is coordinating with the Cavite provincial government to expedite land-related approvals and keep the development on schedule.

The Sangley Point project, which has faced multiple delays in recent years, will now be pursued by the consortium led by Cavitex Holdings and the Yuchengco Group of Companies, with GMR as the foreign partner. The group was awarded the contract following a “Swiss challenge” process after the cancellation of a previous deal in 2021.

In addition to Sangley, GMR has expressed interest in operating and upgrading regional airports in Laoag, Siargao, and Bohol—projects that the President welcomed as part of the administration’s “Build Better More” infrastructure program.

The DTI said the partnership highlights the government’s commitment to securing transformative investments in transport, logistics, and digital infrastructure, further strengthening the Philippines’ long-term growth prospects.