USTDA funds Sangley airport feasibility study

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency is funding a feasibility study for the proposed Sangley Point International Airport in Metro Manila, a project expected to ease congestion at Manila’s main gateway and expand secure aviation links between the Philippines and the United States.

USTDA announced the grant on May 12, saying the study will support high-quality infrastructure planning for the Philippines’ projected aviation demand and define security measures for direct flights to several major U.S. aviation hubs.

“The high volume of direct international travel between the United States and the Philippines reflects the steadfast friendship of our two countries, and we share a desire to see passenger traffic flourish safely and efficiently,” said Thomas R. Hardy, USTDA’s Deputy Director. “This project is one of many shared priorities with the Philippines government to achieve our collective goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The grant was awarded to Philippine project developer Cavitex Holdings Inc., which chose California-based The S-A-P Group LLC to conduct the study.

USTDA said SAP will provide U.S. technical expertise for the airport’s development, including air traffic forecasts, financial analyses, and recommendations for advanced security screening at a facility expected to handle direct flights to the United States.

The study is also intended to promote the use of trusted U.S. solutions, including screening technologies, airport construction components, safety and security equipment, telecommunications networks, and consulting services.

Sangley’s development is aligned with the Luzon Economic Corridor, a connectivity and investment initiative involving the Philippines, the United States, and Japan. The corridor is designed to support links among Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas and attract strategic infrastructure investments across Luzon.

The proposed airport is expected to increase Metro Manila’s cargo and passenger capacity as travel demand continues to rise.

Metro Manila is currently served by Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which handled about 52 million travelers in 2025. Airport operator New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. reported 52.02 million passengers that year, the highest annual passenger volume recorded at the airport.

Leonides J.M. Virata, president and CEO of Cavitex, said the USTDA grant would help accelerate planning and implementation of the Sangley project.

“Cavitex Holdings Inc welcomes the grant from the USTDA, highlighting its importance in accelerating the development of the SPIA, a key infrastructure project under the SPIA Devt Consortium. USTDA’s technical assistance will help advance project planning and implementation by enabling access to advanced U.S. expertise, innovative technologies, and global best practices. The SPIA initiative will deliver transformative benefits for the country – creating tens of thousands of jobs, enhancing mobility, and unlocking billions in long-term economic activity.”

USTDA said its role is to fund early technical work for infrastructure projects in emerging markets, helping them attract financing for implementation and procurement of U.S. goods and services. The agency said it supports projects that advance shared strategic priorities of the United States and partner countries while creating opportunities to deploy U.S. solutions.