NAIA-1 rehab, facelift works complete by 2014 – Abaya

MANILA, Philippines – The government pushed back the deadline to complete the structural and beautification works on Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 (NAIA-1), considered the “world’s worst airport.”

On Monday, October 22, newly installed Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya told a press briefing that the P1.64-billion-worth rehabilitation and facelift of the airport terminal will take “18 to 19 months” to complete.

Thus, instead of the previous target of mid-2013, the new deadline is now early to mid-2014.

Building standards

The delay was largely due to issues regarding building standards to follow in addressing the terminal’s airport defects.

“More of our concerns are the structural defects of Terminal 1,” Abaya told reporters.

The DOTC wanted performance-based standards, but the assigned agency, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) had expertise only for code-based standards. 

“The government agency that certifies that the rehabilitation design is safe and acceptable to Philippine standards is [DPWH] which is used to code-based design. In our evaluation…there are advantages to the performance of code-based design. First [is that it will] not [involve the] shut down of NAIA-1, and second, it is done shorter period of time probably little less cost,” he explained.

“The issue that was pending was: Is DPWH willing to certify? Initially there were discussion…but [DPWH] eventually admitted [they] didn’t have the expertise [and] experience to certify the performance-based designs,” he added. 

“Once design is approved after a month, the rehab could be completed,” he said, adding that foreign consultants Ove Arup & Partners HK Ltd. was tapped to undertake the design of NAIA-1.

Higher budget

Last September, the Budget Department approved the funds, which are more than the P1.16 billion declared by former Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Mar Roxas last January. The higher budget covers efforts to address runway congestion.

This NAIA-1 rehabilitation project ran into some controversy in December 2011 when the then Roxas-led DOTC had a face off with world renowned Filipino designers Kenneth Cobunpue, Royal Pineda, and Budji Layug for the project.

C-Squared will handle the P340 million-worth structural design of the terminal.

Of the approved budget, P500 million has been allocated for architectural, engineering, and interior design and works to improve the internal facilities.

Another P300 million will be spent on the construction of a rapid exit taxiway, and P20 million for the complete rehabilitation of 72 toilets. – Rappler.com