Monday, June 30, 2008 Arroyo set to inspect Naia Terminal 3
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would personally check on the preparations of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 3 in time for its domestic operations next month upon arrival from her 10-day visit to the United States on Monday.
Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the President and her delegation are expected to arrive at 5:25 a.m. Monday at the airport via Philippine Air Lines (PAL) PR Flight No. 105.
Other passengers of the commercial plight, which took off from San Francisco late Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila), would also land at Terminal 3.
A press statement said the passengers of the commercial flight and their families had been informed that they would land at Naia-3 and undergo Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) processing in the new terminal instead of Naia Terminal 2.
The Philippine Airlines had also been distributing flyers at the San Francisco Airport to the flight's passengers for advanced information.
Mendoza said the planned landing of the President at Naia-3 stemmed from a Cabinet meeting where the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) informed them of the planned opening of the terminal to accommodate the domestic flights.
He said they expect "no more glitches" in the operation of Naia Terminal 3 when Arroyo arrives.
Arroyo upon arriving at Terminal 3 shall enter through Bay 116 where she will be given arrival honors by Philippine Air Force (PAF) Honor Guards and proceed to the terminal's immigration area at the second floor, then go to the Customs area on the ground floor where she may deliver an arrival statement.
Presidential Task Force Naia-3 head Michael Defensor led the walk-through of the President's route upon disembarking from the PAL plane during simulation exercises for the Arroyo's arrival.
Angel Atutubo, assistant general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority, assured that the air-conditioning, the X-ray machines, security arrangements, the paging system, the ramp, the television camera and other requirements for the President's arrival cum inspection and inaugural opening of Naia Terminal 3 are all prepared.
He said bearings for the conveyor belt of Carousel Number 7 and Carousel Number 6 had been put in place for the "initial operation for the first batch of luggage and baggage to be unloaded from the said commercial flight".
He said the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) also started installing at least 20 computers in the arrival area to hasten CIQ processing. The two agencies will deploy eight to 10 personnel to man the four counters that would be opened during the arrival.
Mendoza said domestic flights of PAL, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines would soon be taking off and landing at Naia-3. He said "PAL Express" for instance informed them that they can transfer their office and start their operations in a week's time if they are allowed by government to transfer.
He said the opening of the terminal for domestic flights is in preparation for the terminal's eventual use for international flights.
Defensor said they expect to normalize operations for domestic flights in two to three weeks, while it would take about six months more before it could be opened for international flights.
Arroyo, after the inspection, would motor to the PAF Base Operation Center at the Villamor Air Base (VAB) to send off relief goods to the victims of Typhoon Frank (international codename: Fengshen).
She is expected to visit typhoon-affected areas in Iloilo on Tuesday where she would also hold her Cabinet meeting. (JMR/Sunnex)
