AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee has proposed that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and all other airports in the country establish direct connections to power plants to reduce operational costs instead of relying on a utility provider.
Lee stressed that directly connecting airports to power plants would be “a lot cheaper” for the government.
Lee cited the need to study his proposal as among the energy saving measures. “If we’re talking of 40 percent of P40 million per month electricity bill of NAIA Terminal 3, it’s about 16 million every month,” Lee said.
The lawmaker from Bicol said the financial resources that can be saved by the government might be used for other public services that require urgent funding.
According to Lee, “government money is not unlimited, adding that it is a taxpayers’ money, and so we should be prudent about it.”
On May 22, Lee filed House Resolution No. 1007 urging the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), and the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to enter into a special service contract taking into consideration the technical requirements of NAIA operations and maintenance, and ensure that the same is replicated in all airports and their respective energy suppliers across the country.
“NAIA terminals must not only be regarded as a regular business customer of Meralco, but also be prioritized along with its technological needs and requirements given the highly particular technical requirements and maintenance through a ‘special service contract,’” Lee noted. Maricel V. Cruz
