GMR-Megawide wins coveted deal to build airport in Philippines.

Indian infrastructure major GMR and its Filipino partner recently won a coveted deal to build a world class international airport in Cebu, busiest tourism and business hub in the Philippines, according to a media report.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) awarded the airport project to Filipino construction firm Megawide Construction Corp and GMR Infrastructure.

The deal is the country's first public-private partnership project.


DOTC awarded the bid after a three-month delay due to issues raised by second-closest bidder Filinvest, a partner of Singapore's Changi, transportation department spokesman Michael Sagcal was quoted as saying by Inquirer.net.

A formal statement was expected to be issued tomorrow. The DOTC bids and awards committee made the decision recently, a few days after a self-imposed deadline it had given to lawmakers, who sought an inquiry into the bidding process for the P17.5 billion project.

The award resolves allegations raised by Filinvest over the financial capability of GMR, which operates airports in New Delhi and Hyderabad.

Filinvest, which sought the disqualification of Megawide-GMR, also alleged there was a violation of the conflict-of-interest provision.

Megawide-GMR has denied all allegations.

ET