CEBU, Philippines - The consortium of GMR-Megawide, the operator of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), has submitted an unsolicited proposal for the long-term development of the facility that includes the construction of a second runway.

"We have always believed in the potential of MCIA as the primary gateway to serve Visayas and Mindanao,” said GMR Megawide Director Louie Ferrer, in a statement.

Ferrer said that passenger traffic has shown incredible growth in the last two or three years.

"While this is good news for the country, especially for Cebu, we want to ensure that the airport can ably cope with this continued progress," Ferrer said.

The planned second runway, which is included in a comprehensive proposed masterplan spanning 50 years, will transform MCIA into the only Philippine airport with two independent parallel runways, capably serving annual passenger capacities of up to 50 million through exceptional airside facilities and three passenger terminals.

With this investment proposal amounting to P208 billion, GMR Megawide intends to take over airside facilities from the MCIA Authority and secure the unconstrained growth of the airport by providing a capacity of at least 50 million passengers per annum (mppa).

The consortium won the Public-Private Partnership concession to operate MCIA in December 2013. However, this contract does not include the improvement, operations, and maintenance of the runway and other related facilities, which to date remain with the MCIAA.

The statement added that the proposed project will be done in three main phases:

1. Shortly upon taking over the airside facilities, GMR Megawide will undertake the rehabilitation of MCIA’s existing runway and taxiways, the construction of an additional full-length parallel taxiway that can act as an emergency runway and the development of additional rapid exit taxiways and runway holding positions. All of which will improve the efficiency of aircraft movements.

2. Construction of a second parallel and independent runway which will significantly increase airside capacity.

3. Construction of a third terminal to accommodate all the additional passengers.

The project calls for necessary expansion of the airport’s land in order to accommodate the new facilities, it said.

GMR-Megawide expressed that it will be looking into options that will minimize the impact on surrounding communities, such as a possible reclamation in Magellan Bay.

"We took into account the number of residents that may be affected by the airport expansion. We will be adopting an approach that prevents any adverse effect on their daily lives,” Ferrer said.

MCIA’s runway capacity has long been a concern among airport stakeholders. (FREEMAN)