NAIA 3: Ultra-modern gateway to the country to rise soon

The P20-billion terminal complex aims to provide a broader

range of amenities for int'l travelers

The news that President Joseph Estrada earlier planned to move the

international airport site to Sangley Point in Cavite or in Clark,

Pampanga, alarmed a number of people. But now that Estrada gave

the green light to the construction of Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino

International Airport (NAIA), an ultra-modern gateway to the country is

set to provide a broader range of amenities for international travelers.

NAIA 3, a $500-million (P20 billion) terminal complex, is probably the only

major infrastructure project that will be started and completed within the

six-year term of President Estrada. Construction on the 65hectare area is set

to start within the year and target date of completion is in mid2002.

In a memorandum last month to 15 government agencies and heads of all

state agencies, Estrada affirmed the government's commitment to extend full

assistance to the construction of the project. The memo also acknowledged

the government's pledge to fulfill all its obligations under the concession

agreement with the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (PIATCO).

The agreement grants PIATCO the sole and exclusive responsibility to finance

and construct the NAIA 3 development project. It also confers PIATCO the

sole concession to operate the new international passenger terminal (IPT) for

a period of 25 years, renewable at the option of the government.

For the 25-year concession period, PIATCO will pay the government an annual

guaranteed amount of P300 million for the two-year pre-operation period, P510

million for the first and second year of operation, P610 million for the third and

fourth year of operation and P710 million from the fifth year to the 25th year of

operation. In addition, PIATCO shall cause the remittance to the government

of amounts equivalent to percentage of NAIA 3's annual gross revenues over

the 25-year period.

NAIA 3 will be run by a private consortium, with German (Lufthansa) capital

and technical support. Local partner is the Philippine Airports and Ground

Services (PAGS). Construction is expected to take at least three years.

Meantime, the German bigwigs are set to train a maximum of 600 employes

who will work on the terminal.

The building is patterned after the Frankfurt Airport in Germany, known to be

the second most popular destination in Europe after Paris. To be located in

the area of Villamor Airbase adjacent to the airport's secondary runway, NAIA

3 will consist of three levels, but will cover a much bigger area of 230,000

square meters, good for capacity of 10 million passengers per year.

According to NAIA general manager Antonio P. Gana, the development of

NAIA 3 will serve as a catalyst for new commercial development, both on the

site and on adjacent properties that will provide a broader range of amenities

to international passengers.

"NAIA 3 is aimed at creating opportunities for improving the airport environs,

both in terms of land use and circulation," Gana said. "The area within the

terminal site is well-suited to a range of airport-related commercial

development, including hotels, office, retail facilities and conference sites. This

would enhance the real estate value of the area and maximize

revenue-generating opportunities for NAIA and the district as a whole."

The areas surrounding NAIA are also set to benefit from the Termina 3

development. Placing the new terminal on the opposite of the airport enables

development in the area to be located in clusters which are associated with

different destination within NAIA. For instance, development in and around

Terminal 3 could be oriented to international travel, while that near the new

domestic terminal can cater to domestic travel.

When the general aviation area is relocated to another regional airport, an

improved cargo center can be built between the two terminals, allowing an

efficient transfer of cargo between international and domestic flights.

The over-all development of airport area will be planned together with improved

access from the regional road network systems.