Over 14,000 NAIA employees may lose jobs

MANILA, Philippines — More than 14,000 employees of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport stand to lose their jobs amid the proposed rehabilitation of the NAIA.

During a recent House plenary deliberations on the proposed national budget for next year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said NAIA workers may be terminated with the government’s Rehabilitate, Operate and Transfer deal with construction firm Megawide Corp.

Nueva Ecija Rep. Micaela Violago, who sponsored the DOTr’s proposed P143.110-billion budget for 2021, said the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) would have to terminate the NAIA employees, with Megawide having an option to rehire them upon takeover of the NAIA operations.

“They will be terminated and given separation pay. They could be rehired by Megawide,” Violago said upon interpellation by Quezon City fourth district Rep. Bong Suntay.

The DOTr, however, said rehiring the NAIA employees is not stipulated in the proposal for the rehabilitation of the country’s main gateway.

The proposal was reportedly approved despite objection by the National Economic and Development Authority Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC).

The DOTr admitted that the MIAA did not conduct stakeholders’ consultations before approving Megawide’s proposal as required by the NEDA-ICC and has not given the workers formal notice regarding their employment status under a new airport management.

There are at least 2,000 regular NAIA employees and 10,000 contractual or job order personnel.

Also expected to be affected by the proposed rehabilitation and eventual management takeover of the NAIA by Megawide are at least 2,000 people working for the NAIA’s private concessionaires and their employees.

Megawide’s NAIA rehabilitation deal with the DOTr would reportedly increase terminal fees by 30 percent on the first year of its operation.

Transportation Undersecretary for planning and development Ruben Reinoso clarified that “there is no contract awarded yet or any agreement decided upon regarding the NAIA expansion project.”

“The proposal is up for evaluation and approval by the NEDA Board,” Reinoso said.