AFTER a power outage that caused chaos at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, President Benigno Aquino III on Monday ordered the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Manila International Airport Authority to adopt contingency measures to deal with such incidents in the future.
“President Aquino has directed Secretary [Joseph] Abaya and Airport general manager [Jose Angel] Honrado to adopt contingency measures to prevent the recurrence of the power outage that disrupted operations at Naia Terminal 3 over the weekend,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.
“Airport authorities were also instructed to maintain vigilance so that the safety of travellers will be assured continuously,” Coloma added.
But lawmakers criticized transportation officials for the “ridiculous incident” and again questioned what is so special with Abaya who has not been sacked from public service despite his “unparralleled level of incompetence.”
“What’s so special about Abaya?” Cayetano asked. “Why is he so special that despite his series of monumental blunders, Malacañang can’t seem to sack him?” Senator Alan Peter Cayetano asked on Monday
“From special screws, overcharging of non delivered stickers, late license plates and no available driver’s licenses, frequent MRT breakdowns, abandoned license plates at Customs, stolen plate sheets, and now airport blackouts, I have never seen such display of incompetency in our recent political history.
“Why Secretary Abaya continues to serve in DoTC despite these is mind-boggling, it defies all existing logic,” Cayetano added.
Cayetano said the government should fire Abaya as his incompetence is a continuing source of embarrassment in the international community.
“The DOTC’s ineptitude is so meteoric that it borders to the criminal. Worse, it not only victimizes our people but our foreign guests as well. It’s a continuing international embarrassment. If they are not ashamed before the very people they inconvenience, they should at least be ashamed before the whole world,” he said.
The senator urged Abaya to show compassion to his department’s rank-and-file employees by saving them from the public’s ire and further embarrassment.
Even Liberal Party leader Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said the five-hour NAIA power outage was a ridiculous incident, which is simply unacceptable.
Out of its gross income of P9.3 billion in 2014, he said MIAA posted a net profit after tax of P3.06 billion. On top of this, it remitted P1.08 billion as national government share to the Treasury and paid P1.1 billion in taxes, “which means government netted close to P5.3 billion from NAIA users in 2014.”
Recto said the government collected P9.3 billion from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) passengers and airlines in 2014, netting P5.25 billion, “which is more than enough to guarantee reliable electricity or buy emergency power generators” for its four terminals.
“NAIA is a profit center. Lack of money can’t be an excuse on why it is hit by blackouts, or its ceilings are crashing down, or its air conditioners are conking out,” Recto said.
Presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe said the power ooutage in NAIA 3 is once again another embarrassment for the country.
“The power outage clearly manifests the incompetence in the airport authority and the Department of Transportation and Communication, airport facilities and management,” said Poe.”¨
“As if the flight delays caused by runway congestion, bullet planting, and ill-maintained terminal infrastructure are not enough, the incident again affected the productivity of our traveling public,” she added.
She noted that our people deserve better because their flying taxes and airport fees should be put to good use to avoid such incidents from happening again.
She called on the DOTC and NAIA general manager Honrado to shape up and deliver the services our people deserve.
Valenzuela Rep. Rex Gatchalian called for the ouster of Abaya and airport officials. He insisted that what happened is no longer a laughing matter and also serves as proof that the transportation secretary and NAIA general manager have been sleeping on their jobs.
He lamented that the lack of a back-up source reflects the kind of leaders that President Aquino had installed at NAIA.
“NAIA is a major collection point of this tax. This tax is either included in the ticket fare or paid before check-in at the TIEZA kiosk,” Recto said.
Travel tax rates range from P2,700 for a first class passenger; P1,620 for an economy seat; to P300 for an OFW dependent.
“Part of this travel tax collections should be plowed back to NAIA, for comfort facilities like clean toilets, better Wi-Fi, and tourist help desks and brochures, “Recto said.