Poe to DOTr chief: Don't let NAIA rehab remain a powerpoint presentation

Senator Grace Poe on Monday challenged Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista to start the rehabilitation of Ninoy Aquino International Airport as she noted that the country's main entry point is now a "major chokepoint."

"DOTr Secretary Bautista, let’s get the ball rolling on the Public-Private Partnership Project to rehabilitate NAIA. May you become the DOTr Secretary to finally make this happen. Please do not let this project remain as a 'Power Point Presentation' during your time," Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, said.

She made the call while delivering a privilege speech on the congestion problems in the country's major airport.

Currently, Poe said NAIA has a rated capacity of 35 million passengers and 250,000 flights.

But in 2019, the actual passenger volume had reached 47.88 million and the actual flights had reached 277,530, breaching the passenger capacity by over 36% and the flight capacity by 11%.

"Space is becoming increasingly scarce in the whole NAIA complex... In other words, our primary aerial entry point is now a major chokepoint," she said.

Although the Mactan-Cebu and Clark international airports provide some relief, Poe said only two of 10 inbound tourists fly into the country through this airport every year.

Further, the senator pointed out that the full utilization of Clark Airport depends on the completion of Malolos-Clark segment of the North-South Commuter Railway.

Meanwhile, Poe said Bulacan airport will have a potential passenger capacity of 35 million but these are just estimates until it becomes operational in 2027.

"All of this means that we will have to persevere with NAIA. But this does
not mean 'grin and bear it.' It means making the best of a bad situation," she said.

Poe then told the Manila International Airport Authority that the Senate will demand actual outputs on digitalization and automation and their efforts to reduce red tape across all phases of passenger processing.

"To MIAA, may we respectfully remind you of the laundry list of solutions, commitments, and promises which you submitted during this year’s budget deliberations. Next year, sisingilin po namin kayo," she said.

Poe said the government must start streamlining the clearance procedures in NAIA and suggested the DOTr and MIAA to make time-motion studies on this.

"All these tediousness add to the painfully long 3 to 4 hours boarding procedure, which is sometimes even longer than the flight time itself. We should stop this ridiculousness all at once using actual data to improve passenger experience," she said.

Further, Poe said night-rated international airports outside Metro Manila should also be operational for 24 hours if it is commercially viable.

She likewise raised the need to make cashless payments available in all NAIA concessionaires and ensure that all automated teller machines are working.

Meanwhile, the senator said the Bureau of Immigration must standardize the immigration clearance procedures and the public must be informed of the real ground of offloading, the documents needed to prove legitimacy of travel and the rights of passengers during immigration inspections.

"These are not only major chokepoints but also add major stress to even seasoned travellers who get confused as to why NAIA must be a painful experience as compared to other airports in the world," she said.

Poe also called on her colleagues in the Senate to pass the E-Government and E-Governance Bills to start the automation and digitalization not only in NAIA but in all government agencies.—LDF, GMA Integrated News