Monday, August 18, 2008 Ninoy's bust to be installed at Naia-3
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will lead the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the martyrdom the late senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. with the installing of a bronze bust of the former lawmaker at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 3.
The bust would be put up at the Terminal 3's foyer where a simple ceremony would be held.
A leading opponent of the Marcos dictatorship, Aquino was assassinated at the old Manila International Airport (MIA), later named the Naia, upon his return to the Philippines from exile in the United States on August 21, 1983.
Aquino's assassination sparked a series of mass actions against the Marcos regime that culminated in the ouster of the dictator in the People Power Revolution in 1986, and the installation of Aquino's widow Corazon Aquino, as President.
The Naia-3, which was opened in July, was built to handle both international and domestic travelers, the new terminal has 140 check-in counters on five islands, nine baggage carousels and 120 immigration counters.
Cebu Pacific was the first to use the new facility in its inaugural flight to Caticlan last July 22, 2008, using a turboprop jet with 48 passengers on board.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) followed suit, moving its low-fare unit, PAL Express, and affiliate Air Philippines, to Terminal 3.
The PAL Express service from Manila includes flights to and from Busuanga, Calbayog City, Catarman, Caticlan, San Jose City, Surigao and Virac.
Air Philippines' operations include flights to the cities of Bacolod, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Naga, Ozamiz, Puerto Princesa, and Tuguegarao.
In all, PAL operates 75 "express" flights per week and 56 Air Philippines flights from Terminal 3.
Last August 1, 2008, Terminal 3 started servicing all international and domestic flights of the Philippine flag carrier. (JMR/Sunnex)
