A consumer group is calling on the government and the winning airport rehabilitation consortium to show proof of improvements at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) before asking passengers to pay higher fees.
In a statement released Wednesday, Bantay Konsyumer, Kalsada, at Kuryente (BK3) Convenor Karry Sison said that in rehabilitating NAIA, public interest must prevail and “not the personal interests of a few people.”
“Airport fees are expected to naturally increase but the promised rehabilitation must be completed first,” Sison said
“Contrary to the expected progressive change, we will face another severe blow because the airport fee will be implemented recklessly and hastily without the people feeling the benefit and comfort of its promise first,” he added.
The New NAIA Infrastructure Corp (NNIC) recently briefed the House Committee on Flagship Projects on the consortium’s rehabilitation plan.
In his presentation, General Manager Angelito Alvarez discussed the timeline and scope of the project, including their plans for MIAA workers, who will be absorbed by the NNIC.
Alvarez also admitted that improvements in NAIA will be completed in 6 years. Sison then asked why MIAA and NNIC are already implementing airport fee increases, when there are no improvements yet.
“The project is expected to be completed in six years. Therefore, the promised benefits and convenience of a new and modernized airport will not be immediate,” Sison pointed out.
Sison also raised suspicions on MIAA’s Administrative Order No. 1, which mandates the early increase of fees at NAIA that will affect passenger fees, landing and takeoff charges, and lease rates for all businesses operating within the NAIA complex.
“Highly suspicious is the impending approval of AO No. 1 ahead of the official September 14 turnover. AO No. 1 will impose the fees increase in NAIA as a condition stipulated in the NAIA rehabilitation project tender document, which will be implemented by the New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation. Among those included in the increase are passenger fees, landing and takeoff fees, and lease rates of establishments inside NAIA,” Sison said.
“The SMC is overly “fortunate” that it can already collect higher revenues even before all the promised rehabilitation of NAIA begins. In all the PPP projects, the investments and delivery of the services comes first before revenues and profits come in,” he argued.
Sison then called on the government to disclose the details of the NAIA rehabilitation contract to ensure that it is beneficial to the public
“Mismong si GM Alvarez ang nagsabi na “di ang kita ng kumpanya ang prayoridad kundi ang makatulong sa publiko.” Kung ganon, malinaw sana at tapat nilang ipakita ang detalyadong nilalaman ng kontrata (GM Alvarez himself said that “the company’s profits are not the priority but to help the public.” If so, they need to be transparent and disclose to the public the details of the contract)” he said.
“Huwag nating pahintulutan na ang interes ng iilan ay manaig; dapat na interes ng publiko ang siyang tunay na mangingibabaw. Hindi makatarungan na magpatupad ng agarang taas-singil sa serbisyong di pa naman naibibigay o nagagawa. Ang BK3 ay nagsusulong na dapat ay pruweba ng kaginhawaan sa upgraded NAIA ay maipakita, bago mangolekta ng kita! (We must not allow the interests of a few to prevail; the public interest must be of utmost importance. It is not fair to impose immediate high-charges on services that have not yet been delivered. BK3 is advocating that the benefits of an upgraded NAIA must first be realized before raking in profits!)” Sison added.
