The said airport has long been touted as an alternative to the congested main gateway in Manila.
Through Administrative Order (AO) No. 44, President Ferdinand Marcos directed the “closer coordination” between the national government, provincial government of Cavite, and private sector regarding a project in Sangley Point, Cavite.
Specifically the development and completion of the Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA).
Thus, through the said AO, the President has created a Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG), which will be co-chaired by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).
Other members will include representatives from 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 the PGC.
Mainly, this JTWG will address issues that could delay the project and ensure that reclamation activities comply with environmental and technical requirements, on top of submitting quarterly progress reports to the President through the Office of the Executive Secretary.
Under the AO, the DOTr will also provide overall policy direction for the airport and coordinate government actions for its development and will oversee the SPIA’s integration into the Greater Capital Region Airport System and the larger air transport network of the country.
For its part, CAAP 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 then oversee the project’s reclamation component, including the review and approval of reclamation plans, compliance with technical requirements, and review applicable fees and charges related to the project’s non-saleable reclamation component.
Together with the DENR, PRA will also establish monitoring mechanisms to protect marine and coastal ecosystems that may be affected by reclamation and construction activities.
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 and strict compliance with environmental laws and requirements throughout the project’s development.
It was back in 2024 when the Philippine Competition Commission issued a green light to a joint venture project to develop the Sangley Air Base in Cavite City to a full-fledged international airport.
The project will be undertaken by the public-private consortium formed by the Cavite provincial government, Cavitex Holdings, Inc., and the House of Investments, Inc.
These parties will jointly develop, manage, maintain, and own the proposed US$11 billion SPIA that aims to serve an initial passenger volume of 25 million per year, with a planned second runway able to push it to 75 million passengers annually.
Apart from that, it intends to be the other alternative to the Philippines’ main gateway, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay and Parañaque, which has been operating over its intended capacity for years, with 52 million passengers having passed through it in 2025.
Together, the SPIA, NAIA, Clark International Airport, and the upcoming New Manila International Airport form the abovementioned Greater Capital Region Airport System.
Meanwhile, last May, the United States of America announced the funding of the project’s feasibility project, with the local consortium having selected California-based The S-A-P Group, LLC to conduct the study.
