Group assails government plan to take over NAIA-3

The Save the NAIA 3 Coalition (SNC), a multisectoral alliance of labor and other non-government organizations, assailed the government’s plan to take over the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 if its internal management problem is not resolved in time for its scheduled "soft opening" on Dec. 15.

Segismundo Diaz, SNC spokesman, said that the move, which was disclosed to The STAR last Friday by a Malacañang official, is contrary to the declared policy of the Arroyo administration to honor contracts legally entered into by the government with the private sector.

"Should the government take over the operations of the NAIA Terminal 3 facility, which was constructed in a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract by a business consortium with foreign investors, it would signal to the whole world that this government cannot be trusted to honor contracts," he said.

The group has also assailed critics of the project for "trying to move heaven and earth to stop the terminal from opening even if they have to destroy the prospects of our country’s economic recovery and growth."

"If these saboteurs and detractors are successful, it would mean the destruction of the administration’s economic program and will most likely increase the budget deficit by depriving the government of a revenue of more than P710 million annually from its operation," Diaz said.

The $500-million NAIA Terminal 3 was constructed by the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco), a consortium of well-known Philippine, German and Japanese corporations. However, an internal dispute within the consortium has created problems both for the company and the government.

While Justice Secretary Hernando Perez ruled out a government takeover of the facility last September, he has proposed a renegotiation of the contract, which was signed during the term of ousted President Joseph Estrada.

Another option mulled by the government was to buy back the shares of Fraport AG, the German partner in the consortium, which has also threatened the government with a lawsuit if it pushes through with its plan to make changes in the Piatco contract detrimental to its interest.

Amid these squabbles, President Arroyo ordered its opening on Dec. 15 in time for the launching of the "Visit Philippines Year 2003" tourism program.

The SNC said that the airport should open as scheduled as many unemployed workers are now looking forward to it as it would mean more job opportunities.

In a statement, SNC said that businessmen estimate the the operation of the new terminal would create another 20,000 jobs from malls, restaurants shops, service establishments and the overall business boon that would be created in the vicinity of the airport.

"Those who continue throwing roadblocks at the opening of the facility," said Diaz, "are actually sabotaging the administration of President Arroyo. They want to ensure the failure of the Arroyo administration to achieve economic recovery."