Airport improvements operator makes use of community suggestions

CEBU, Philippines – As part of its thrust to make Mactan Cebu International Airport one of the "friendliest and most efficient" airport in the Philippines and Asia, the operator started to get the community involved to gain sound and constructive points for improvement.

GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) recently launched an Airport Users Forum (AUF) called "Matud Nila," to breed public feedback on the ongoing improvements conducted by the company and to inject essential changes based on users' common recommendation if necessary.

GMCAC chief executive advisor Andrew Acquaah-Harrison, the AUF forms part of GMCAC’s community engagement where it endeavors to seek feedback from members of the Cebuano community on how to ensure that the airports improvements and development meet the needs of passengers with various types of requirements.

“The forum’s main objective is to make tangible difference to the lives of airport users based on their specific needs,” said GMCAC chief executive advisor Andrew Acquaah-Harrison.

This initiative, he added is designed to go beyond the traditional approach of the Airport Operator carrying out improvements without consultation and feedback from community users.

GMCAC conducted the first forum last August 26 with AUF member-representatives from different sectors in the community.

Among the suggestions pushed during the forum include updated toilet design specifications for persons with disability (PWD), airport personnel with extensive background on rehabilitation medicine to better facilitate PWDs, child-friendly facilities like kiddie urinals inside ladies washrooms, better signages to direct flow of passengers similar to that in cruise ships, fast and reliable internet connections, among others.

Harrison said the airport will be adding additional charging stations and provide for an improved Wi-Fi coverage. He also said tables for food concessionaires would be standardized and drinking water fountains made available for free to passengers by mid-November 2015.

GMCAC is set to hold the AUF forums on a quarterly basis. It said they are pleased that this initiative has gained positive feedback from the user-representatives.

While the Philippine tourism tagline "It’s More Fun In the Philippines," has not clearly emphasized Cebu's potential to attract more local and foreign visitors, a new task force created is expected to focus on branding Cebu as the "ultimate" tourism destination in the Philippines.

Already, a tourism task force was created organized by GMCAC and participated by government and private sector representatives, headed by Department of Tourism (DOT-7), to build strong connection with the multi-sectoral groups, specifically the tourism players. (FREEMAN)