NAIA-1 rehab underway

MANILA, Philippines - The much-needed rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 (NAIA-1) started yesterday.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) appealed to passengers for understanding while the 32-year-old airport is being rehabilitated.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the much-awaited P1.3-billion NAIA-1 rehabilitation is being undertaken by construction giant DM Consunji Inc., which was given until January next year to complete the project.

The project involves the structural retrofitting, improvement of mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection facilities, as well as architectural works of the decades-old terminal building, he said.

Over the course of its implementation, certain areas of the terminal building would be closed for renovation.

Abaya explained the closures would be done in six phases of 60 days each, to be supervised by the DOTC and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).

Abaya said preparations are now underway at NAIA-1 as affected concessionaires are already clearing the area covered by Phase 1 of the project.

“We appeal for patience and cooperation from passengers taking Terminal 1. These minor inconveniences will result in a much-improved NAIA, with better facilities and services for the public, in a year’s time,” Abaya said.

MIAA general manager Jose Honrado said enclosures will be seen at the departure and arrival levels of the terminal.

“We seek everyone’s understanding as this will surely bring inconvenience and discomfort brought about by drilling and hammering works,” Honrado said.

He said the concessionaires that will be affected by the first phase of the project have turned over their spaces to MIAA after receiving notice. Among them are Kuwait, Gulf Air and Delta Air, which will temporarily hold office at the nearby PASSCOR building at Parking C of Terminal 1.

Wall St. Cheat Sheet, a US financial media company, has ranked NAIA eighth among the 10 Worst Airports in the World, citing overcapacity issues in Terminals 1 and 3.

According to the report posted online, the 10 worst airports are known for their “smelly bathrooms, long lines and rude staff.”

It described NAIA’s terminals 1 and 3 as “particularly crammed.”

The report named the worst airports in the world with Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil topping the list, followed by Chicago Midway International Airport.

The John F. Kennedy International Airport also in the US came in third, while N’Djamena International in Africa was in fourth place.

Also listed among the worst airports are Paris Beauvais Tille (5th), London Heathrow (6th), LaGuardia in New York City (7th), Jomo Kenyatta International in Kenya (9th), and Tribhuvan International in Nepal (10th).

Abaya earlier said the organizing committee of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is giving the agency until December this year to finish the project as the Philippines is set to host the APEC summit in 2015.

The DOTC earlier awarded a consultancy and management services contract to TCGI Engineers that submitted the lowest bid of P34 million for the P38.7-million project.

The rehabilitation of NAIA-1, established in 1981, would be handled by the original architectural and engineering firm Leandro V. Locsin and Associates, while the group of internationally acclaimed designer Kennth Cobonpue with Budji Layug and Royal Pineda Group would serve as airport design consultants.

The rehabilitation of NAIA-1 and the P1.9-billion retrofitting works at NAIA-3 are being undertaken by Takenaka Corp. of Japan.