According to a Press Release issued by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is on the brink of a significant transformation as the NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC) is set to take over its operations and maintenance. The handover, scheduled for 14 September 2024, marks a pivotal moment in the modernization of the Philippines’ main international gateway.
“It’s an exciting time because we are about to make history. We can begin the work of modernizing our airport and giving the Filipino people a world-class facility they deserve,” San Miguel Corp. Chairman Ramon S. Ang said Monday during the Economic Journalists of the Philippines (EJAP) Aviation Forum.
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista expressed optimism that NNIC, under SMC’s leadership, would propel NAIA into a globally competitive and modern airport. He noted that the upgrade is expected to align with the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) principles of providing comfortable, accessible, safe, secure, and affordable travel for passengers.
“We have no doubt these SMC-implemented projects, once completed, will conform with the comfortable, accessible, safe, secure, and affordable parameters we instituted in DOTr — that is, our transport infrastructures will provide comfortable, accessible, safe, sustainable and affordable travel experience,” Sec. Bautista said.
As part of the airport’s modernization, passenger capacity is expected to increase from 35 million to 62 million annually, with air traffic movements rising from 40 to 48 per hour. Over the course of the concession agreement, the government anticipates earning PHP900 billion in revenues. In addition, the rehabilitation is projected to generate at least 58,000 jobs for Filipinos, significantly boosting local employment.
With the turnover of NAIA’s operations to NNIC fast approaching, expectations are high for a modernized, efficient, and world-class airport that will enhance the Philippines’ standing in global aviation.