Some observations about Mactan-Cebu International Airport
There were a lot of Japanese tourists in the same flight we took from Narita to Cebu last August 6. We were very happy to note that there were many families who traveled together. There were the parents and their children, including some infants. There were those who traveled as well with grandparents and friends. There were students and business persons also, and of course, couples as well. We wish them all a happy, memorable time here in Cebu!
We wonder what they may have thought upon lining up for immigration at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport?
How would have they reacted to time-consuming immigration processing in a very crowded space with inadequate air conditioning? As those who have visited Japan know well, at Japanese airports, the foreigners are made to line up in several areas designated for them. Always, there is an airport staff who guides the arriving passengers where to line up, who reminds the passengers what documents to prepare to show to the immigration officer at the desk, and ,who even checks to confirm if the passengers have correctly and completely answered all required details in the arrival form. The presence of these airport staff eases up possible congestion due to volume of arriving passengers. Their presence also assures incoming passengers, especially the first comers among them, that they are where they need to line up in and they have all the necessary forms filled up correctly to show the immigration officer.
At Japanese airports, returning Japanese have their special lanes that allow them quick immigration processing. Returning Filipinos also have that privilege at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. However, getting to that particular lane and counter assigned to Filipinos is delayed because of the unclear boundaries for foreigners and returning Filipinos. Having another airport staff to guide foreigners and Filipinos to their respective lanes for immigration may help ease congestion and allow Filipinos the happy experience of having been given the warm welcome at immigration.
Assigning staff with specific, clear, easy to spot identification tags and if possible, easy to spot uniforms for immigration staff and officers, and another color, we hope, for airport luggage assisting personnel will go a long way to assist passengers and visitors upon disembarking from the plane, to the immigration lanes, through customs, and to the exit area.
Oh, the exit area is something else. Can a better system of order be initiated in the arrival area?
From the exit up to about a minute or two after, passengers are met by a number of dealers for transportation as well as by porters who wear their assigned uniforms. There are also the hotel representatives who either call out the names or who raise a signboard with the names of their arriving clients. There are also those who come to meet the arriving passengers or returning overseas Filipinos. Foreign visitors used to a better orderly arrival area will be so overwhelmed by the loud calls of competing transport dealers, hotel representatives, by unknown persons who will approach them asking if they need luggage assistance and so on.
With technical help and some creative, intelligent plans, we are very sure the Mactan-Cebu International Airport arrival management can be better?
Despite the seeming need for better airport management upon disembarkation until exit of passengers, those of us used to our airport systems are happy just the same to be back home. We still believe, however, that we can do much better to more properly take care of our own returning Filipinos as well as our foreign guests starting at our airports.
And Cebu will host the next APEC soon? Will there be enough time to install adequate and functioning lights and air-conditioning system which we heard was affected by a recent airport fire? Will there be time to better manage the state of roads and the traffic system from the airport to other parts of Cebu?
We can only cross our fingers and hope and pray for the best. But surely, our officials can do better than rush? Surely, genuine Filipino brand of service and bayanihan will someday emerge and show that we are not only a warm, friendly people but we take best care of all our own people and our foreign guests through efficient, honest, systematic management and provision of adequate facilities and services?
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