Business tycoon Ramon S. Ang, president and CEO of San Miguel Corporation, vowed to work hard on rehabilitating NAIA so that it will never again be tagged as ‘the worst airport‘ in the world as the turnover of the NAIA to the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC) is slated to push through on September 14, 2024 (Saturday).
“‘Yung NAIA, ayaw na ayaw kong tawagin ng mga foreigner ‘yan na worst airport in the world kaya I want to make sure na kung pwede, ako na sana magkaroon ng pagkakataon na mag-rehabilitate nitong NAIA,” Ang said.
It was learned that some food establishments at the NAIA Terminal 3 have already been removed to pave the way for the putting up of new facilities.
After the turnover of the NAIA to the NNIC, the first year will be spent on rehabilitating basic facilities like the toilets, airconditioning system escalators, elevators, x-ray machines and the seats inside, to be followed by the baggage handling system and runway efficiency.
The NAIA Terminal 2 extension will be worked on by expanding it up to the lot being occupied by the defunct Philippine Village Hotel near the NAIA.
But since the lot and structure had been abandoned for over 50 years already, Tranportation Secretary Jimmy Bautista said that they will have to get an exemption because what is involved is a priority project of the national government.
“Siguro naman maiintindihan ng National Historical Commission,” Bautista said.
Meanwhile, the new NAIA terminal assignments are as follows: NAIA Terminal 1- Philippine AirLines; NAIA Terminal 2- domestic flights, Cebu Pacific and PAL; NAIA 3- foreign airlines and international flights and NAIA 4- AirAsia.
