San Miguel Corp.’s New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC) officially assumed control of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Saturday, with ambitious plans to modernize and transform the country’s primary international gateway into a world-class facility.
Faced with a tall order of modernizing the airport’s facade, capacity, operations, and maintenance, NNIC will now take on the task of elevating NAIA to international standards.
NNIC chairman Ramon Ang described the concession agreement as an investment for the Philippines’ future, adding that it will help the country’s economy.
“A world-class airport means more jobs, more tourists and a much stronger and prosperous Philippines,” Ang said.
“The baton has been passed and now it is our turn in NNIC to carry it forward to the finish line,” NNIC General Manager Lito Alvarez said.
NNIC committed to spend P170 billion to execute its phased but ambitious plan to elevate NAIA to world-class standards. This includes plans to increase passenger capacity from 43 million to 62 million annually and air traffic movements from 42 to 48 per hour.
The government stands to gain about P1 trillion in revenues from the PPP project over the 25-year concession period. This includes the 82.16-percent revenue share to be remitted to the government yearly.
Travelers can expect business as usual, with flights, check-ins, and other services proceeding as normal.
The plans for NAIA’s modernization, including terminal reassignments and infrastructure upgrades, will be implemented gradually and strategically in the coming months and years.
NNIC has assured the public the transition will be seamless, with no disruptions to airport operations.
“We ask the public for their patience. This will take time, but we will work hard to make quick improvements within the first three to six months,” Ang said.
Within the first three to 12 months the company will start adding new toilets, refurbishments of existing comfort rooms, install additional air-conditioned units, reliable high-speed internet, additional seating capacity in the terminals, repair of existing walkalators, escalators and elevators, among others.
Within four to five years, NNIC will increase terminal capacity from 35 million to 62 million passengers per annum,, new terminal connecting Terminal 2, connection of Terminal 3 to Metro Manila Subway and increasing aircraft movement from 40 to 48 movements per hour.
