Pinangunahan nina Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade at Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea ang inagurasyon ng bagong upgraded airside facilities ng Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Ang nakumpletong repair at paglalatag ng semento sa Runway 13/31 ng NAIA at konstruksyon ng karagdagang holding area (H5) at Runway 13 ay magpapalakas ng maximum allowable commercial flight movement capacity mula sa 40 hanggang 50 flight movements kada oras o kabuuang 240 commercial flight movements bawat araw.
Ayon kay Transport Secretary Tugade, ang upgraded NAIA airside facilities ay nagpapakita lamang na kaya ng Manila International Airport Authority na ipursigi ang developments project nito.
“Today I am very, very happy and full of gratitude. Alam n’yo, may usapan ‘ho na kung walang unsolicited proposal, walang proyekto. Hindi ‘ho totoo ‘yun, ‘pagkat, bago dumating ang pandemya, bago nagkaroon ng diskusyon sa unsolicited proposal, sa leadership ni Ed Monreal, sige-sigeng ginagawa na niya ang mga improvements dito sa MIAA, sa Terminal 1, 2, 3 and 4. Nagpapakita lang na walang hinto, pandemic or not, walang hinto ang pagbabago dito sa NAIA,” saad ni Tugade.
Bago maupo sina Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at Tugade, maraming mga patholes at surface depressions ang airside facilities ng NAIA kabilang na ang runways, taxiways, aircraft holding areas/points at aprons.
Ito ang dahilan kung bakit kailangang magtagal ang isang aircraft bago makalipad o maglanding na nagresulta ng limitadong galaw ng mga aircraft na siyang pinagmumulan ng flight delays at congestion.
Sabi naman ni Medialdea na nagpapakita lamang ang NAIA facilities upgrade na tuloy-tuloy ang Build Build Build program ng Duterte administration sa kabila ng nararanasang pandemya.
“As air traffic slowed to an unprecedented level due to the pandemic, this presented us with the opportunity to address the congestion problem. It allowed us to work more freely with the upgrading and rehabilitation of our airports. Thanks to the Department of Transportation and the insightful leadership of Secretary Tugade, they took advantage of the pandemic for the benefit of the people. We thank the DOTr for its perseverance, particularly in the repair and upgrading Runway 13/31,” saad ni Medialdea.
Napapanahon din ayon kay Medialdea ang pagtatapos ng NAIA runway dahil sa inaasahang pagdating nga mga COVID-19 vaccines mula sa ibang bansa.
“This completed project will be beneficial in facilitating air traffic at NAIA, especially needed now, as we prepare for the continuous arrival of vaccines for the people. On behalf of President Duterte, I congratulate the DOTr for a job well done. Ipagpatuloy natin ang ating mabuting trabaho para sa ating mga kababayan,” dagdag ng opisyal.