Designers offer NAIA makeover plans

MANILA, Philippines - Internationally acclaimed Cebuano furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue, furniture and interior designer Budji Layug and architect Royal Pineda have provided the design for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 for free as part of government efforts to transform NAIA from “most hated” to “most loved” airport.

This developed as President Aquino conducted a surprise inspection of NAIA 1 on Thursday evening upon his arrival from Bacolod City, where he attended the wake of Sen. Sergio Osmeña’s mother.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing yesterday the President was satisfied with the ongoing renovations in the airport.

On Facebook and Internet blogs, Cobonpue, when asked why he was doing the design for free, said: “If we don’t do anything, who will?”

A video of the proposal has also been uploaded and has generated a lot of reactions, mostly positive.

It has been approved by the NAIA Board and Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel Roxas II for implementation.

Aside from the three noted designers, Leandro V. Locsin and Associates, the original architect of NAIA 1, will also take part in the renovation of the 30-year-old facility because the original design was done by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin.

Lacierda said the refurbishment and upgrading works of the airport had begun and the President was okay with them in a bid to support the country’s tourism industry in the short term.

Aquino and Roxas strolled down the airport’s lobby to the customs and immigration areas and even inspected the comfort rooms of the terminal. They were briefed by terminal managers on the work currently being done to improve the airport.

“The President was satisfied. Secretary Mar Roxas will be conducting another briefing next week on Terminal 1 and to discuss, for instance, how much it would take to renovate everything,” Lacierda said.

Concerned government agencies are now fast-tracking the improvement of the country’s airport terminals amid negative observations made by the international community on the inferior condition of the airport.

NAIA 1 was recently voted as the “World’s Worst Airport to Sleep In” by the “The Guide to Sleeping in Airports,” a website of low-budget travelers who used the airport as overnight motels to save on money.

Latest reports showed CNN’s travel site, CNNGO.com, put NAIA number five on its list of “World’s Most Hated Airports.”