SENATOR Nancy Binay has asserted that rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) should come first and shelve for the time being efforts to rename it.
“First step was the award (of the rehabilitation contract), and hopefully within a year, we can see improvement in our airport,” Binay said.
She noted the issue on giving the NAIA a new name inconsequential at the moment.
The Department of Transportation on Friday announced that a San Miguel Corp. (SMC)-led consortium has won the bidding for the P170.6-billion NAIA rehabilitation project.
The SMC SAP & Co. Consortium won the public-private partnership project on its proposed an 82.16-percent revenue sharing scheme with the government.
Binay also warned that a name change had international implications and could lead to confusion among tourists
The lawmaker also countered the view that the NAIA was summarily named after the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. during former President Corazon Aquino’s term.
“Remember the name change, the National Historical Commission has a say on this. It passed through a process before its name was changed to Ninoy Aquino International Airport,” Binay said.
Expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves, Jr. filed in June 2022 House Bill No. 610 seeking to rename the NAIA after the late Ferdinand E. Marcos, the President’s father and namesake.
A law is required to rename the airport, formerly known as the Manila International Airport, eventually christened the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by virtue of Republic Act No. 6639 in honor of the martyred Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr.