SPECIAL Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said government was working to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) as well as build two new airports, following the runway mishap that paralyzed the country’s main gateway last week.
In a statement, Go said the two-day closure of a NAIA runway because of a Xiamen Air jet getting stuck in the mud was an “eye-opener” for the government, echoing Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.
Go cited the need for contingency plans. “No one wanted an accident to happen. This serves as an eye-opener for us,” he said.
Go said the Duterte government was working on long-term solutions to decongest NAIA, particularly by improving the Clark International Airport in Pampanga as well as developing new ones in Bulacan and Cavite.
The Duterte administration had approved the expansion of the NAIA at the cost of P350 billion, divided into two phases. The first phase includes the improvement and expansion of terminals in the NAIA land area. The second phase involves the development of an additional runway, taxiways, passenger terminals and associated support infrastructure.
The expansion of Clark, a former US air base, is ongoing, with the construction of a 100,000-square meter passenger terminal that will double the airport’s capacity to eight million passengers a year.
The National Economic Development Authority approved on April 25 a proposal for the construction of an airport in Bulacan. When completed, the Bulacan airport will accommodate 100 million passengers a year.
Go expressed the government’s apology on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Department of Transportation, for the series of flight cancellations and delays.
Ed Monreal, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), said on Tuesday Xiamen Airlines must shell out an initial payment of P15 million for the removal of its plane from a grassy portion of the NAIA.
“We’re still computing the penalty for Xiamen Airlines. All expenses incurred will be charged to them. The crane rental alone is roughly over P4 million,” Monreal said in a television interview.
“What we’re basically charging them is the opportunity that the MIAA has lost. As for canceled flights, we will look at it in terms of revenue lost in ... landing and takeoff,” Monreal said.
He said an 11-man delegation from the Chinese airline visited his office to apologize.
Monreal said he accepted it but asked Xiamen Airlines to issue a public apology. CATHERINE S. VALENTE, MA. LISBET K. ESMAEL, BENJIE L. VERGARA