Construction of the Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA) in Cavite is targeted to begin in the third quarter of 2027, with financing arrangements now being finalized as the project moves into its initial pre-construction phase, a project adviser said.
Construction is expected to take about 17 quarters, or roughly four years and three months, putting the target for the airport’s initial commercial operations in 2031, according to Sol Castro, managing director and senior adviser at CFP Transaction Advisors. He made the disclosure during last week’s Luzon Economic Corridor Investors Forum.
CFP is part of the project development management and advisory group appointed by the Cavite provincial government for SPIA.
Castro said the project has secured the necessary consents, including the agreement with the provincial government of Cavite and clearance from the Philippine Competition Commission.
Several key approvals and arrangements remain pending, however, including the Philippine Reclamation Authority’s approval of the final reclamation configuration, land-access arrangements with the Department of National Defense, and airspace clearance from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
The government has moved to expedite those processes. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Administrative Order No. 44 on June 3 directing concerned national government agencies and encouraging Cavite local government units to prioritize and accelerate permits, clearances, licenses, certifications and other authorizations required for SPIA.
The order also created a joint technical working group co-chaired by the Department of Transportation and the Philippine Reclamation Authority, with representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of National Defense, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice, CAAP and the Cavite provincial government.
The group is tasked with addressing issues that could delay the project and ensuring that reclamation complies with environmental and technical requirements. It is also required to submit quarterly progress reports to the Office of the Executive Secretary.
$2 billion first phase
The first phase of SPIA is estimated to cost about $2 billion and will involve a 251-hectare reclamation development adjoining existing government-owned land.
The phase includes extending the existing runway from 2.1 kilometers to 3.2 kilometers, building a new passenger terminal, apron and cargo facilities, and developing the necessary landside estates.
Castro said the project will rely largely on an enabling reclamation platform and existing government-owned land, reducing land assembly and consolidation requirements.
“There’s going to be minimal displacement except for the Philippine Navy facilities that are there, and that there are no right-of-way risks,” Castro said.
SPIA will be developed around the existing Sangley aerodrome and is planned to accommodate wide-body aircraft and freighters.
The second phase will be incorporated into the airport’s design from the outset and will allow expansion of the development to the full 544-hectare landform as passenger and cargo demand increases.
Boulevard, Cargo City
The broader SPIA development also includes the 4.4-kilometer Sangley Boulevard, a high-speed access expressway and causeway intended to connect the airport directly to the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) and onward to the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX).
Construction of the boulevard is targeted to start in the first quarter of 2027, ahead of the airport's planned construction start, with completion targeted for the first quarter of 2029.
The project also includes a 190-hectare Cargo City designed for aviation support services, logistics, warehousing and e-commerce fulfillment.
SPIA is envisioned as a modern international hub airport and part of the Greater Capital Region’s multi-airport gateway system, alongside Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Clark International Airport and New Manila International Airport.
Public-private partnership
The Cavite provincial government and SPIA Development Consortium (SDC) signed a joint venture and development agreement for the project in 2023.
The consortium comprises House of Investments Inc., Cavitex Holdings Inc., Samsung C&T Corp., MacroAsia Corp., Munich Airport International GmbH, and Ove Arup & Partners Hongkong Ltd.
SDC was formally awarded the project in September 2022 after no competing firm challenged its unsolicited proposal. The consortium had submitted the proposal in 2021 after the Cavite provincial government declared its second bidding for the airport project unsuccessful.
SPIA is being developed as a public-private partnership intended to expand the Greater Capital Region’s aviation capacity while creating an international passenger and cargo gateway in Cavite.
