Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3
Source : http://www.manilatimes.net
By Jonathan M. Hicap
The planned soft opening of the moth balled Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in February next year again hit a snag after the Manila International Airport Authority and the Department of Tourism terminated an agreement with Takenaka Corp. for the repair of the terminal facility.
The MIAA confirmed that it is finding another general contractor to finish the remaining 2 percent of the NAIA 3.
"We may have to proceed with the completion [of NAIA 3] without Takenaka," an MIAA official told The Manila Times.
Takenaka Corp. was hired by the Philippine International Air Terminal Co. Inc. (Piatco) to construct NAIA 3. Piatco won the bidding to build and operate NAIA 3, but the Supreme Court annulled its concession contract due to certain illegal provisions.
The official said completing NAIA 3 without the help of Takenaka will be done based on the detailed plans that MIAA possesses.
MIAA and Takenaka have been negotiating for months to have an agreement. Negotiations broke down after Takenaka refused to acknowledge the basis for computing the works to be done included load factor and materials.
In March, the MIAA cancelled the soft opening of the NAIA 3 after its consultants, TCGI Engineers and Ove Arup and Partners, found major structural and design defects, concluding that the NAIA 3 may collapse in the event of a major earthquake.
Ove Arup said using the facility "will expose the user to life safety risks."
After this, the MIAA terminated its contract with Takenaka, but the two resumed negotiation.
With the NAIA 3 opening in limbo, the MIAA will expand the Manila Domestic Airport and NAIA Terminal 1 starting January to accommodate more passengers.
Tirso Serrano, MIAA assistant general manager for airport development, said the MIAA and Cebu Pacific will share the expenses in building more counters and expanding the pre-boarding area at the Manila Domestic Airport.
"This will result in an increase of 35 to 40 percent in the airport’s capacity," he said.
On the subject of MIA 3, a lot of prospective investors abroad, including potential purchases of real estates and condominiums,are holding out because this may be another abandoned building in Metro-Manila. Decision makers are not sensitive to the needs of the businesses who are responsible for providing Philippines a financial boost in the highly competetive world economy. Businesses in the Philippines rely of this high profile building to welcome and impress badly needed investors.
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