The bids and awards committee on the privatization of the old Iloilo airport has prequalified all five property developers who last week signified their intention to join the bidding scheduled for April 24.
In a statement, the Finance department said Robinson’s Land Corp.; SM Prime Holdings, Inc.; Empire East Land Holdings, Inc.; Rockwell Land Corp.; and Ayala Land, Inc. can bid for the 54-hectare airport property in Mandurriao, Iloilo City. The five last week beat the March 27 cutoff for the submission of prequalification documents.
‘We are very pleased with the interest in the Iloilo airport property and look forward to a successful bid on April 24,’ the statement quoted Finance Undersecretary for Privatization John P. Sevilla as saying.
He added that the 54-hectare old airport property will be vacated after the new airport opens, possibly by the middle of this month. Following the bidding on April 24, the bids and awards committee should be able to issue the notice of award by May 9 before it closes the transaction on May 24.
The Iloilo city government is reportedly looking at developing the old airport site into a commercial area with a leisure and convention center, as well as light industries. The property is near SM City Iloilo and Smallville, the existing leisure and entertainment center of the city.