German officials back NAIA terminal project

German government officials reiterated their support yesterday for the NAIA International Passenger Terminal 3 (IPT 3) project, declaring it as a symbol of success of Filipino-German economic relations.

Roland Koch, prime minister-president of the state of Hesse, the region where the Frankfurt airport is located, said the project has the full backing of parliament because it meets the highest international standards and is backed by world-class institutions.

Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services or FRAPort owns 30 percent of Philippine Air Terminals Co. Inc. (PIATCO), the consortium which won the bid to build and operate NAIA IPT 3.

FRAPort is the operator of the Frankfurt airport which is the largest freight airport in Europe and the largest passenger airport in Europe.

In a recent visit to the construction site of the NAIA IPT 3, Koch, who led a delegation of Hesse government and private officials, said the passenger terminal project will not only be a symbol of success of the Philippine economy but of Philippine-German economic relations as well.

"This shows the world that there is indeed confidence in the Philippine economy and its air traffic business," Koch said, as he stressed the need for more intensified cooperation between the two governments.

The Hesse leader said that their people follow the developments of NAIA IPT 3 with keen interest because they consider it an important business activity outside of Germany. NAIA IPT 3 is FRAport’s first investment in the Southeast Asian region.

He added that Filipinos can be assured of "nothing but the best" in the new terminal.

"With our extensive experience in Frankfurt, you can expect the highest standards such as the best security standard of the new terminal. We do know how to construct airports in time and within budget. Arriving and departing guests will now experience a taste of world-class," he said.

Koch expressed confidence that there are solutions to the present controversy faced by proponents of the project. "And we are even more confident that the contract will be fulfilled," he added.