NAIA 1 has basics of a good airport – Abaya

MANILA, Philippines - Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya expressed satisfaction over the development of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, saying the basic components of a good airport are there.

Abaya inspected the progress of the P1.3-billion rehabilitation of the airport yesterday and said interior designers could still improve the interior of the terminal that is now structurally sound. The project is expected to be finish in May 2015.

The DOTC chief arrived at the NAIA 1 at around 11 a.m. and he was briefed by Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) senior assistant general manager Vicente Guerzon, Terminal 1 manager Dante Basanta and DMCI project engineer Alfred de Villa.

Abaya said that some adjustment must be done regarding the signages, some of which he said are confusing.

He noted that the NAIA 1 building is structurally equipped with buckling resistance braces, metal parts diagonally erected on the building posts that could now withstand natural disaster such as earthquakes.

Abaya instructed Basanta to add more lights in the toilets and immediately repair the escalator at the pre-departure area for the convenience of passengers going to the departure lounges with their hand carried bags.

He also inspected the newly built airline counters with new conveyor belts and digital check-in computers.

The NAIA 1 repair works started last Jan. 20 and should be completed by January next year.

However, some technical problems have caused delays.

“It is such a big facility, you can never pin down the final date of completion, especially pag nagre-rehab ka (if you are doing rehab work),” Abaya said.

When asked for his reaction to the latest online survey that ranked NAIA Terminal 1 as the fourth worst airport, he said the survey from the start was inaccurate.

He pointed out that NAIA 1 could only accommodate 13 million passengers annually, but the online survey stated that the old terminal was accommodating 32 million passengers a year.

But what was unacceptable, he said, was when the survey described the airport as having rude and undisciplined personnel.

“For the first time you are seeing somebody describing Filipinos as being rude, disrespectful and discourteous. Would you accept that we are rude as a people? Anyone, even media, will not accept Filipinos are discourteous,” Abaya stressed.

Guerzon said the rehabilitation of the airport is now 40 percent complete and will be 95 percent complete by March.

He said the remaining five percent involve minor technical issues which will not greatly affect terminal operations.

Guerzon said DMCI had assured them that the project would be completed on the target date.