THE Mactan-Cebu International Airport came to life during the Sinulog celebration yesterday, with the participation of Megawide-GMR consortium.
Megawide-GMR is one of the bidders in the airport modernization contract even.
Megawide-GMR used two vehicles, an Isuzu Elf mini truck and big a cargo truck for the celebration.
On the Isuzu Elf, six tarpaulins read “Nature’s Spring,” and under that was a bigger tarpaulin marked “The New Mactan-Cebu International Airport” by Megawide-GMR and “performed by San Diego Dance Company.”
The truck carrying the Megawide-GMR float is registered with the Sinulog Foundation because it is marked “SV-44.”
The float reflected the airport activities and facilities such as four aircraft and a drawing of a modern Mactan airport with workers in real life wearing hard hats standing beside it.
The Megawide-GMR float also reflected Cebu’s rich history with people on board wearing attires of national hero Lapu-Lapu and his men and Portuguese sailor Ferdinand Magellan and his Spanish soldiers.
Megawide Corporate Marketing Officer Louie Ferrer said they wanted to show a possible concept for the new Mactan-Cebu International Airport to the Cebu people.
Resort type
Ferrer said the concept is a resort-type airport that is world-class and something very Cebuano.
“For our final design, we will collaborate with Cebu designers and come up with an airport all Cebuanos will be proud of,” he said.
Ferrer said they are very confident that the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Pre-Bidding and Awards Committee (PBAC) will award the contract to Megawide-GMR because they have complied with all the requirements and have addressed the issues raised by Filinvest-Changi.
However, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) General Manager Nigel Paul Villatete said he has no idea about the Sinulog float of Megawide-GMR and his office is not involved in the parade registration.
Villarete said that although Megawide-GMR has submitted the highest bid in the amount of P14.4 billion, the DOTC’s PBAC has not yet awarded any contract to any of the groups who participated in the bidding last Nov. 28.
The bidding conducted by DOTC is different so that instead of choosing the lowest bidder who can modernize the airport at the lowest cost, the government will be awarding it to the highest bidder because the bid offer will be paid to DOTC and still the winning bidder will modernize the airport at its cost.
Villarete said the DOTC’s Pre-Bidding and Award Committee (PBAC) is still verifying issues raised by Filinvest against GMR and that takes a little bit time but which will probably finish next week.