NAIA 3 to open in July — Manda

Philippine aviation officials now expect to open a controversial $500-million passenger terminal at the Manila airport in July, an official said yesterday.

Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA 3) would be operational by "July at the earliest date," airport general manager Edgardo Manda told reporters.

Apart from security features at the terminal required by aviation regulators, a seven-kilometer internal access road to link NAIA 3 to other areas of the airport has yet to be finished, Manda said.

"The access roads are important for the airlines to operate efficiently," he added.

Manda said there was also a need to boost security at the terminal to thwart possible terrorist attacks. He did not elaborate.

The 28-gate terminal, designed to handle 13 million passengers yearly, was to have originally opened last month to ease traffic at two existing terminals.

But President Arroyo moved back the opening after the franchise holder acknowledged security issues raised by the transportation department.

Mrs. Arroyo has also canceled the government’s operating contract with Philippine International Air Terminals Co., a Filipino-German consortium which built the terminal, citing anomalous terms in the contract that she said are disadvantageous to the government.

The Supreme Court last month ordered both parties to settle the dispute amicably. — AFP