By Junex Doronio
MANILA — With the signing on Monday (18 March 2024) of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) with the San Miguel-led consortium that bagged the deal to modernize the country’s main gateway to the tune of P170 billion, many are crossing their fingers that it will be finally goodbye to the rats and bed bugs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
SMC SAP & Co. Consortium — composed of San Miguel Holdings, RMM Asian Logistics, RLW Aviation Development, and Incheon International Airport Corporation — won the bid to rehabilitate the country’s premier airport.
DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista expressed hope that the NAIA public-private partnership project would open the floodgates of opportunities for the country, from investments to business, tourism, and employment.
The NAIA recently obtained a black eye when last February 27, a Facebook post alleging that the rattan chairs in NAIA Terminal 2 harbored bed bugs went viral.
But a few days later, a passenger in Terminal 3 uploaded a video of a big rat scurrying along the airport’s ceiling lights.
“Sana wala nang mga surot at daga pag na-modernize na ang NAIA,” some passengers chorused in a random interview with Maharlika NuMedia.
NAIA insiders said with the signing of the concession agreement, the operations and maintenance of the airport will be handed over to the consortium on or before September 2024.
(el Amigo/MNM)