Super consortium wants to expand NAIA

The country’s seven largest conglomerates would like to start expanding NAIA’s terminals and add more flights because NAIA is a strategic national asset that needs upgrading without delay.

“The present approval process takes time, months to more than a year. The country would be well served if we can have a better NAIA soonest,” said Jimbo Reverente, spokesperson for the super consortium that submitted last February 12 the first unsolicited proposal for NAIA’s improvement.

Actual work will take 24 more months for the first wave of immediate expansion. Further expansions are planned to meet projected passenger demand.

“The government can expedite the approvals allowed under existing rules. That will be the best scenario. Once we complete our short-term expansion and upgrading plans, passenger convenience will be immediately felt. There will be more space for everybody and that is just the first step,” he said.

More expansion will follow to meet the expected growth in tourism, business and the economy. In 2017, the four NAIA terminals, designed to handle only 31 million, accommodated 42 million, he added.

“By 2019, the projection is we will have 47 million passengers. And the NAIA terminals will still have the same 31-million passenger capacity. So it is urgent for the country to get this project going because doing nothing as a result of a long approval process will set all of us back,” he said.