it would be nice for t-3 or t-2 to have a mini hotel inside the airport like the one in narrita airport in tokyo. makes it very convient for passengers who have connecting flights to freshen up.

i think inside the airport would be hard to do, but in close proximity, with bus or a walkway connecting it, wouldnt be hard, and still be close to the airport

there aren't much transit passengers in MNL. Maybe if the transit hotel is made, then maybe we could catch up.

Does anyone know what NAIA3 looks like inside (I mean aside from pictures posted here)? I remember KLIA having arrival and departure traffic mixed in the terminal. HKIA is seperate (Arriving passengers go down from the airbridge and departing passengers are on an upper level floor). NAIA T1 has separate too.

well geographically, we aren't positioned to be a hub. Singapore's perfectly positioned.

I was surrpised to find out that BKK had more passengers than HKIA according to a statistic I forgot. We were way down in the rankings.... awww. NAIA3 would be a perfect transit airport for a small economy like ours. I hope they open it na. The only transit lounge we have at T1 is the Manila lounge where you pay 20 bucks. OK naman siya. Walang tao. Walang signs man lang saying na it exists...

you talking about the lounge upstairs? ilang taon sira yung elevator nila. nakakainis.

yup... kakainis noh? ang pangit.... have you tried it dude? yun lang yung ok eh... well aside from the CX lounge downstairs

yeah. when you're flying Lufthansa or SQ you go there. actually i got stuck there for 3 hours because of plane problems. NAIA is shit boring, unlike other airports.

yeah....after immigration, only a few steps... gate na agad hehe.... At least may moving walkways yung T3... I hope dami rin airline lounges and shops.

well, I'm certain that the airlines would have their own transit hotel-like lounges. I remember the emirates business class lounge in DXB had its own rooms, although I'm not so sure if it had a shower. And NAIA-3 has a LOT of space.

thats right. im sure that it definitely will have lounges like the ones in Terminal 1. but since this terminal is so much more spacious, im sure that the lounges would be bigger as well. I usually go to the Northwest Airlines VIP lounge at Terminal 1 since i am a Northwest worldclubs member. It isn't bad. There are a lot of comfy couches there. But i just hope that when they move their stuff over to terminal 3, they will have like bedrooms and shower rooms like the ones they have in their Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, Chicago-O'Hare VIP lounges which I also visit every time i go to the States.

If Northwest does put bedrooms and shower facilities...I will promise to fly at least 100,000 miles with them!!!! :D (well then again I'm scoring for NW's elite status which also places me as an elite member in Continental :D)

i wish someone will post latest pics of the new t-3? so no news yet when its going to open? suppose to have full operation in late 2002 its almost 2005 now. t-3 suppose to have a 4 storey shopping mall ? so what ever happen to that plan? it would have been such a unique airport with a shopping mall. here in the states the only airport i know that got a shopping mall is the one in virginia. i just hope t-3 will open soon. would be great to see it when i go home for vacation in late 2005.

i was mistaken about the airport mall in virginia its was in north carolina.

any updates of t-3?

By JONATHAN MAYUGA
TODAY Reporter


Solicitor General Alfredo Benipayo and Justice Florentino Feliciano, counsel of the government in the separate international arbitrations filed by Philippine International Airports Terminal Corp. (Piatco) and Fraport AG, builders of the NAIA Terminal 3, over the annulled contract for new terminal, on Saturday denied allegations the government is deliberately delaying resolution of the dispute.


In a statement, Benipayo and Feliciano said they are not delaying the resolution to favor some groups in Malacañang.


They said all discussions on the terminal, under Administrative Order 96, will be conducted only on a lawyer-to-lawyer basis, so that this is between the Solicitor General, Justice Feliciano and the international law firm White and Case for the government, and the counsels of record of Piatco and Fraport.


Piatco and Fraport sought arbitration after their contracts for the construction of the NAIA terminal 3 were declared null and void ab initio by the Supreme Court for being illegal and grossly prejudicial to the Republic.


After dragging the Philippines to international tribunals for their own illegal acts, Piatco requested a meeting with counsels for the government to discuss solution to the problem, they said.


Contrary to their claim, the government has not made any proposal for settlement with Piatco and Fraport, they added.


According to the two, the government does not owe Piatco and Fraport anything. “No proposal for settlement has been submitted by Piatco or Fraport to the government.”


Benipayo said Piatco also failed to take any step toward fulfilling critical preconditions and more, that Piatco has locked out the government from the facility and despite repeated requests, has refused to allow inspection.


Benipayo said the refusal of Piatco is on top of the firm’s earlier rejection of the government’s demand to provide it with detailed engineering designs or as-built plans that would have shown how the terminal was built.


He added the government rejects any settlement that would put at risk passenger and employee safety at the terminal or “will require the government to pay a centavo more than the terminal’s actual and reasonable cost.”


From the beginning, the Office of the Solicitor General said the government has laid down conditions before any consideration of a settlement may be considered.


One is to ensure the terminal is structurally sound and can be used for the intended purpose. It must be ensured that the terminal is safe and secured, and the actual and reasonable cost of the terminal must be independently determined and audited based on verifiable evidence.


Feliciano and Benipayo said that while the government is prepared to “listen carefully to good faith proposals” leading to possible settlement, it has to be made clear that the government is under no legal obligation to take over and pay for the terminal.


The opening of the new international airport has faced numerous delays as oppositors of the project insist the construction of Terminal 3 has been clouded with alleged anomalies.


The airport was again targetting for opening this year, but this may not push through beceause of problems hounding the project.

With M. Rullan


======================================

i hate this. there's so much crap to wade through. and it isn't just naia, its the whole bloody damn country...

from the looks of it, PIATCO is blocking inspections and building plans. it must be shit or something. :no:

damn baby.... damn

Note to self...TP the houses of PIATCO officials...

On approach to runway 06-24...

http://tinypic.com/3cup3

WOW!! That is an awesome picture! Did the pilot of a plane take that or something? the toll booth of Coastal Road is right under the flight path....

If you pass by Coastal Road at around 5-6 pm, you can actually see a number of aircraft lined-up on the approach to the runway.

looks clean and green. not like the view i usually see when approaching manila.

cool photo :) i dunno how that was taken.. from the cockpit?

its a nice final approach to landing pics congrats

On approach to runway 06-24...

http://tinypic.com/3cup3

Now that's one nice approach pic of NAIA. :eek2:

I also see a JAL 744 taxing to the runway too. :D

grabe... linaw ng mata ah :)

Guys, while passing by the NAIA 3 this afternoon, i noticed on the space above where the airbridges are connected to the terminal (roadside gates), there are numbers in yellow plates (101, 102, 103, etc.) Are these the new gate numbers? Parang bago ah... ala LAX

thats good news (federal) i thought nothing was going on t-3. maybe it will open late this yr or difinitely next year i hope cause im going home in september like to check it out and take some photos for the forum peeps. lets keep our finger cross that t-3 will open.

Well...i hope they open it up by december, since I'm going home to the Philippines, so definetly I'm gonna take pictures!!!!, so be prepared FORUMNIANS, I will take so many pics you are all gonna go crazeee...hee hee...well not just naia 3, but all around MM! Well, I hope it opens first before I start taking pictures. Okie dokes...ciao!

Why do we only have 2 runways? In MSP, we have 3 I think, and thats only 2.5 million people.

Manila is the gateway to the country!

well we don't need a lot of runways.

btw, i think the second one is rarely used.

yeah... this was discussed way back. We don't need more runways... due to :

a) lack of air traffic
b) lack of space
c) lack of funds
d) and HK survived and actually became a hub with only 1 runway on their old Kai Tak Int'l terminal

speaking of which, kai tak's runway was gorgeous...

also i don't think there's space. if there's a need for more runways, which could happen in a decade or so, the int'l hub would be moved to Clark.

NAIA practically has only 1 runway because both runways are perpendicular to one another. so that means two aircrafts still cannot takeoff and land at the same time. Btw, re the NAIA 3 gates, i noticed those yellow plates last saturday as well when i passed by there. That is actually cooler than the usual gate designations per T1 and T2. Its a bit misleading though huh? people who don't know any better would think that NAIA has more than 100 gates. lol!!!!

it will be open. most of us are desperate for it (i know i am :D) the question is when

Yeah....those plates are simple... yet very gorgeous.... am so excited... damn! and the skyway access ramps from NAIA...medyo dami ng acitvity... may mga post na ah... Hope it finishes soon.

yellow plates? are those like the B201 in the terminals? isn't that normal in major airports?

http://www.apmforum.com/travel/asiaairports.htm?action=results&poll_ident=10

check out this link... IT is so UNTRUE, AND ABSURD. Manila second ? Sino kaya nagspam... :) At least hindi kulelat hehe

http://www.apmforum.com/travel/asiaairports.htm?action=results&poll_ident=10

check out this link... IT is so UNTRUE, AND ABSURD. Manila second ? Sino kaya nagspam... :) At least hindi kulelat hehe

Hahah, that's unbelievable. lol :D

here's a nice rendering...

But I do hope someone could post real airside pics... :eek2:

http://tinypic.com/3vm03

yeah. i haven't seen any real airside pics of t3. but based on what we can see from the few gates that we can see when we pass by the terminal (those gates in front), it is gorgeous. I just love passing by villamor just to see the terminal. its not even my usual route. I live all the way from laguna and usually i go to bicutan. from the south expressway, i would always exit at sucat, go through sucat road, towards t1, then t2, then domestic, then to T3!!!! hehehehe. so parang umikot lang ako. its a waste of gas and time but its totally worth it.

hmm... so is there any news that the terminal 3 would open soon?... naaawa na ako sa terminal 1... its too old... Manila needs the terminal3 for better impression to tourists and visitors...

i was in Penang, Malaysia last week and they have a good domestic airport... masmaganda pa sa international airport natin!...

It's Malaysia... my god pau_p1... siyempre dumaan ka sa KLIA... grabe noh!!! ganda... BUT the airport kinda smells bad... hehe. Yun lang ayaw ko sa Malaysia

that's a pretty good rendering:)

wtf @ the poll? that is nuts!

@ Federal - hopefully the malaysians wont complain about the remarks you made about their airport:D hehehe.

Anyways, its hard to get a good shot of the airside of NAIA 3. I took some before, but they arent that clear and detailed.

edited as per your request :)

much better...:) thanks. Now, i will edit my post so no one has to know:D

much better...:) thanks. Now, i will edit my post so no one has to know:D

hahaha... you're so funny!

is the toilet in T1 really that bad? because when I first flew here to SG (2002) the toilet seems ok.. never been to T1 again since then for I always fly with PAL.

Oh. the toilet is that bad. flushes don't work. it stinks a lot. there's no toilet paper. There was even this one time a few years back when i had to use a toilet stall because all of the urinals are being used, the janitors didn't even bother cleaning the seat. There was ummm....something inside the toilet. hehehe. y'all know what that is already. hehehehe. Somebody had a bad stomach. hehehehe. probably something he ate from the airport coffee shop. lolz

Oh. the toilet is that bad. flushes don't work. it stinks a lot. there's no toilet paper. There was even this one time a few years back when i had to use a toilet stall because all of the urinals are being used, the janitors didn't even bother cleaning the seat. There was ummm....something inside the toilet. hehehe. y'all know what that is already. hehehehe. Somebody had a bad stomach. hehehehe. probably something he ate from the airport coffee shop. lolz

Eww....gross! I just had lunch....I might upchuck what I ate after that great visual you gave. :puke:

It's Malaysia... my god pau_p1... siyempre dumaan ka sa KLIA... grabe noh!!! ganda... BUT the airport kinda smells bad... hehe. Yun lang ayaw ko sa Malaysia


yup i passed by KLIA... yup.. its a beautiful airport... but HongKong Airport still holds my heart.... for me HK Airport is a lot more beautiful.... at oo nga medyo baho sa Malaysia...medyo madumi din sila...:D

well... that's why I hope we can upgrade our airports... international and domestic to at least be in par with our neighbors... not to be so grand but just at least to make it more pleasant to see...:D

Another approach pic... Final on 13-31.... left side is T3.

http://tinypic.com/3zhgo

federal... are a pilot? or someone on a flight crew or something? hehehe... you get good approach shots of the runway.... just wondering..coz if you're only a passenger... it's hard to take shots focused to the front of the plane...:D

nah... it's from another site... my bro is also an airline enthusiast.... he gets most of the pics from other sites... :P NAIA3... open na please?!> .....

i read on (business world) a filipino internet news that the philippine gov't will meet with piatco and fraport to check if t-3 is viable for operation? maybe the grand opening is in sight? the philippine gov't it said want to check the terminal to see if its viable and how much to compensate the contractors if the terminal is ready for operation. lets hope things will start rolling now forum peeps :)

‘Govt eyeing new deal with Piatco but under strict safety terms’
ABS-CBNNews.com | April 1, 2004

Solicitor General Alfredo Benipayo hinted on Wednesday the government is looking at the possibility of a new deal with the Philippine International Airport Terminals Co. (Piatco) on NAIA-3, but quickly added that any new deal will be turned down “unless we know for sure [the terminal] is structurally safe [and] everything is done properly.”

There is a pending arbitration case in Singapore and Washington initiated by Piatco and its majority partner and later majority owner, Fraport AG of Germany, after the government rejected the terminal for being beyond specifications in some of its parts.

“(A)ny settlement will have to go through a thorough inspection of facilities and an audit of their finances,” said Benipayo.

Justice Secretary Merceditas Gutierrez had earlier tossed to the Solicitor General the investigation into the alleged violations of the Antidummy Law that enabled Fraport AG to acquire 61 percent of Piatco, the terminal contractor.

Also pending is a criminal case against Piatco involving the alleged use of dummies to circumvent the constitutional provision limiting foreign ownership in utilities to 40 percent after the NBI reportedly found proof that Fraport originally had only a 30-percent equity in Piatco.

In a decision written by Justice Reynato S. Puno, the High Court ruled that the Manila International Airport Authority had gravely abused its discretion in entering into several Piatco contracts, and voided the same.

Under a Palace administrative order, Benipayo is now the sole spokesman on the Piatco controversy. M. Rullan
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
good news? I just want t3 open asap!!!

i hope they fix any problems that were said to have been there. like structural stuff.

anyways, regarding the secondary runway, can all planes land there? or is it only small planes?

only small planes can land and take off there. its too short. That's why most planes use the primary runway.

yup only small planes, mostly domestic (if not all). That picture is pretty cool...kinda scary with those planes and buildings right by the end of the runway.

Well from Nayong Pilipino (while it was still open), i saw 747's.... Kaya ata now wala na land sa 13-31 na big jets kasi naiingayan ang Merville... some restriction was implemented or something

Another approach pic... Final on 13-31.... left side is T3.

http://tinypic.com/3zhgo

only domestic planes can approach on landing on this runaway right cox its shorter and bigger jets like 747s use the bigger runway for landing , but all big jest can use the runway 13-31 as an alternative takeoff,

Well from Nayong Pilipino (while it was still open), i saw 747's.... Kaya ata now wala na land sa 13-31 na big jets kasi naiingayan ang Merville... some restriction was implemented or something

i beleive planes are noisier during takeoff bec their engines use more power on landing they require less power so the noise is lesser

do i see a small square pond in there! :no:

here's a nice rendering...

But I do hope someone could post real airside pics... :eek2:

http://tinypic.com/3vm03

Courtesy of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2003...and I'm sure the guys at PFSG was a part of this...;)

is that an accurate rendering of the unopened terminal? that side of the building isn't really shown very much

i think it should look better than that. The pic doesn't show much details of the terminal.

Believe me if there were going to be more details...its going to be a b!tch to work with in FS... :bash:

I hope someone could post pics of the boarding gates and walkways to the gates.....

Indeed I'm itching to see what the boarding area looks like...

Visit http://www.som.com
Click On Transportation
Click On NAIA

Great shots of the exterior facade and interior design in there!

only small planes can land and take off there. its too short. That's why most planes use the primary runway.


small planes can land but big planes even 747-400 can take off in this runway
i remember that time when t3 was still under construction and the main runway was under maintenance our plane a b747-400 took off from this runway

Visit http://www.som.com
Click On Transportation
Click On NAIA

Great shots of the exterior facade and interior design in there!
I believe the pics were posted before but thanks though for sharing! :)

Oh okay didn't realize that...sorry...

The terminal shots do look very very nice though...such a waste to have them handle only like 6 million passengers?????? and that they are not opened yet?

What do the existing terminals look like? Whats the airport's total annual handling capacity and why ain't Terminal 3 open?

No updates today? Just checking in. Btw guys, T3 better be open by the time the first of 19 Cebu Pacifics A319 arrives on September of next year.

Indeed......I mean I'd hate to hear it open after the 2010 elections. :nuts:

...i dunno if this is off topic, but here is an image of NAIA! I think you've all seen this pics, but the red rectangle I highlighted, I think they should build a new run way there, I mean, moving that many peope I think is not that bad, it looks like wasted area to me. Don't you think? It will be so much better!

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid138/p049c085ea608c5d7cae231440aa0941a/f71b4669.jpg

first of all, there isnt really a need. If they needed additional runways, they will definitely move to Clark where there is much more space. Second, that place you highlighted is where the C-5 extention will run through. Lastly, moving people is very difficult, and that area isnt exactly squatters (most of them).

isn't it that that area also houses a lot of manufacturing companies and freight and cargo facilities?

well yeah.. it would be nice to make use of Clark.. but also it would be nice if the extend the NAIA land to add a new runway... or isn't it that there is a new runway being built?.. that's why they closed Nayong Pilipino?

they closed NAyong Pilipino to give way for the construction of a cargo facility which up to now has not started

uh.. ok.. I thought it was for an expansion of the runway..... hmmmm

I see, I guess they should have planned NAIA better, but demands back then I guess where not bad. They should just extend the runway then? There's no point in that too, I guess, if they could land there now. Well, the best thing i guess, is JUST OPEN THE DAMN TERMINAL ALREADY!!! sorry for the anger, but politics sucks!!! well, THE POLITICIANS THERE, RIGHT NOW IN THE PHIL. SUCKS!!! I hope they have better ones in the next election! WHY can't they just agree on something, and stop the kurakot!!! and also they need a better election process...well counting the votes!!! super annoying yung mga natatalo...daya daw ng daya!!! ano bayan!! well, i hope it becomes better.

Tell me about it.....its been like what? Two years or something? Hey PIATCo, give the damn rights to the government, we want a more efficient, more spacious, world-class terminal to serve as the primary gateway to our nation. :rant:

As for the thought of placing a parallel runway, well it'd be nice but I dunno since there is plans of maybe moving to DMIA in the future and I guess an additional runway would be redundant... :dunno:

they closed NAyong Pilipino to give way for the construction of a cargo facility which up to now has not started

and also for additional taxiways.

isn't it that that area also houses a lot of manufacturing companies and freight and cargo facilities?




the frieght and cargo facilities are in the other side. But, yes there are some manufacturing companies in the area he highlighted.

...i dunno if this is off topic, but here is an image of NAIA! I think you've all seen this pics, but the red rectangle I highlighted, I think they should build a new run way there, I mean, moving that many peope I think is not that bad, it looks like wasted area to me. Don't you think? It will be so much better!

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid138/p049c085ea608c5d7cae231440aa0941a/f71b4669.jpg

besides what ryan said, there's also the problem of landing. one of the reasons skyway is on-grade for a couple of hundred meters was of the runway.


should we close this thread soon for NAIA3-2? :D

first of all, there isnt really a need. If they needed additional runways, they will definitely move to Clark where there is much more space. Second, that place you highlighted is where the C-5 extention will run through. Lastly, moving people is very difficult, and that area isnt exactly squatters (most of them).

ya i agree with u grey x the government will look to clark as the viable alternate international airport. they will surely invest in clark to make it the premier intenational airport of the future, the government has already decided on this no need to expand naia as it will be too costly and not worth coz space is very limited, and if people do agree to move out to give way for the expansion they will surely demand huge compensation and the government cant afford that

yeah, remember one of GMA's plan in "BEAT THE ODS", Clark and Subic alliance. she has high hopes for her home province and the region :)

I saw this in the newspaper earlier. I thought it would be nice to share. Under normal circumstances, I think that conspiracy theories are pure crap, but this one touches an issue very close to my heart: our damn unopened terminal. What do you guys think of it?


=====================================================
source: philippine daily inquirer, in a column by conrado banal

"...AND so I said that Gloriaetta single-handedly solved the unmitigated problem of "vested interests" in our country, merely by talking about it strongly in media.

We must not think frightening thoughts about her use of the private jet. Besides, according to the chief Palace spokesperson, the jet was "available on a rental basis."

But did this cute administration rent the jet or not? For if you were the owner of the jet, which is, ahh, "available on a rental basis," would you send the bill to Gloriaetta?

The Inquirer reported that the owner of the jet is none other than businessman Jose "Pepito" Alvarez.

Word has been going around that Alvarez is only brokering an amicable settlement of the case between this cute administration and airport builder PIATCo over Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).


* * *

ACCORDING to my info, Alvarez bought out the PIATCo interest of one of the Cheng groups, which bagged the NAIA 3 build-operate-transfer contract during the time of Kuya Eddie [President Fidel Ramos].

If Alvarez could swing the amicable settlement, he should earn a little pocket money, amounting to a couple of hundreds of millions of pesos.

The NAIA Terminal 3 has become an international issue. Abroad, the German partner in PIATCo, Fraport AG, has sued the Philippine government before the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes. In this case, Fraport claimed that it spent about $450 million in NAIA Terminal 3.

The Japanese contractor of PIATCo for the project, the giant Takenaka, of course, received only $280 million. Where did the difference go?


* * *

EARLY this year, the German authorities raided the offices of Fraport. They seized some documents that tended to show the trail of corruption in the NAIA Terminal 3 contract.

The raid was led by Wolfgang Schaupensteiner, well-known corruption fighter in Germany. Obviously, he was after some evidence of bribery done by Fraport itself.

In a report, the German broking firm MM Warburg also noted that Fraport posted in its books some 200 million euros in consultancy fees for the NAIA Terminal 3 project.

MM Warburg used an interesting word to describe the fees. It described the fees as "nebulous," meaning, Fraport has given the, er, "fees" to "unspecified parties."

The discovery of those "fees," according to MM Warburg, could hurt Fraport in its suits against the Philippine government.


* * *

ADDING to the difficulty of an "amicable settlement" over the NAIA Terminal 3 project is the refusal of Takenaka to issue a guarantee, according to my source in the government.

The Japanese contractor has expressed reservation on the so-called "Schedule 7," which was part of the NAIA Terminal 3 construction plan.

In that mysterious "Schedule 7," Takenaka supposedly sub-contracted work and supplies to a local group that had connections with this cute administration.

Now, if the government decides to pay for the work done so far by PIATCo and Fraport in NAIA Terminal 3, it must ascertain at least that the building is safe.

Takenaka does not want to issue the guarantee of safety, despite its being the sole contractor for the project. Big problem!


* * *

ASIDE from a financial audit of the project, which this cute administration has failed to do so far, the government also wanted to do an audit of civil works.

This administration only succeeded in getting the cooperation of nobody -- not Takenaka, not PIATCo, and certainly not the external auditors of both!

Moreover, according to an official report, if this cute administration decides to operate NAIA Terminal 3 on its own, it will have to spend a few hundred million dollars more.

All it will have in the terminal is the structure, plus some incomplete equipment. In other words, as it is, the terminal is not yet operational.

And here we are, hearing about somebody's interest in opening the new terminal for the sake of the public, for which he must breast all odds against an amicable settlement.

But then, of course, there are no longer vested interests in this country. Gloriaetta wiped them out two days ago. ..."

wow...this thread series is so large and has been going on for years (including previous versions of it) and the terminal is still not open!! hahaha.

Link to the original T3 thread... http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=96175

yeah, we'd be reaching NAIA Terminal 3-10 and it would still be mired by controversies

Precisely Because It Has Become A Controversial Project That Issues Jst Keep Going On

SINGAPORE - THE BUSINESS TIMES

Published September 14, 2004

Opening of new Manila airport terminal unlikely
No compromise yet on compensation for construction

By AL LABITA
IN MANILA

(MANILA) Prospects of opening Manila's new US$650 million international airport terminal look bleak as the government and the contractors continue to dispute the compensation issue despite their arbitration hearings in Singapore.

Ms Arroyo (above) voided the deal last year, calling it "onerous' and to the govt's disadvantage.
Piatco, the Filipino-German-Japanese consortium that built and funded the state-of-the-art facility, pegged its compensation demand at US$530 million, but the government refused, offering only US$350 million.

The row was sparked by President Gloria Arroyo's decision last year voiding the 25-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) deal with Piatco for imposing repayment terms and other provisions which, she says, were 'onerous' and disadvantageous to the government.

The Supreme Court affirmed Ms Arroyo's move and, at the same time, yielded to Piatco's appeal that it be compensated for incurring costs in putting up the modern terminal, the third such facility at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

It said 'the government cannot unjustly enrich itself at the expense of Piatco and its investors'.

The investors are led by the Filipino-Chinese Cheng family, Germany's Fraport and Japan's Nissho-Iwai Corp. The Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) court held arbitration hearings in Singapore after the government and Piatco agreed to settle their dispute before it. The hearings, however, failed to resolve the row and any compromise still looks unlikely because of the hardline stance of both parties.

ICC's mediation, for which the government and Piatco paid a combined US$3 million arbitration fee, is separate from that of the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes as sought by Fraport AG.

The German firm, which owns 30 per cent of Piatco, sought the World Bank's intervention after it demanded a US$425 million reimbursement from Manila for its investments in the terminal.

A Piatco official, who asked not to be named, says they rejected the government's offer because it was not enough to cover the construction costs.

'Under the BOT law, just compensation includes damages and return on equity,' he said.

But Solicitor-General Alfredo Benipayo says any settlement must be based on three conditions: that the terminal is structurally sound and can be used for its intended purpose; it must be safe and secure; and that actual and reasonable costs are independently determined and audited, based on verifiable evidence.

'Any settlement here would have to follow these conditions. The interest of the government must prevail,' says the chief government lawyer.

Mr Benipayo lashed out at Piatco for refusing to allow the government to inspect the terminal to see if it is safe or to open its financial books to auditors.

'The government rejects any settlement that will put at risk the safety of passengers and employees at the terminal or will require the government to pay a centavo more than the terminal's actual and reasonable cost,' he said.

with the government in fiscal crises i wonder how they can compensate piatco

SINGAPORE - THE BUSINESS TIMES

Published September 14, 2004

Opening of new Manila airport terminal unlikely
No compromise yet on compensation for construction

By AL LABITA
IN MANILA

(MANILA) Prospects of opening Manila's new US$650 million international airport terminal look bleak as the government and the contractors continue to dispute the compensation issue despite their arbitration hearings in Singapore.

Ms Arroyo (above) voided the deal last year, calling it "onerous' and to the govt's disadvantage.
Piatco, the Filipino-German-Japanese consortium that built and funded the state-of-the-art facility, pegged its compensation demand at US$530 million, but the government refused, offering only US$350 million.

The row was sparked by President Gloria Arroyo's decision last year voiding the 25-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) deal with Piatco for imposing repayment terms and other provisions which, she says, were 'onerous' and disadvantageous to the government.

The Supreme Court affirmed Ms Arroyo's move and, at the same time, yielded to Piatco's appeal that it be compensated for incurring costs in putting up the modern terminal, the third such facility at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

It said 'the government cannot unjustly enrich itself at the expense of Piatco and its investors'.

The investors are led by the Filipino-Chinese Cheng family, Germany's Fraport and Japan's Nissho-Iwai Corp. The Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) court held arbitration hearings in Singapore after the government and Piatco agreed to settle their dispute before it. The hearings, however, failed to resolve the row and any compromise still looks unlikely because of the hardline stance of both parties.

ICC's mediation, for which the government and Piatco paid a combined US$3 million arbitration fee, is separate from that of the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes as sought by Fraport AG.

The German firm, which owns 30 per cent of Piatco, sought the World Bank's intervention after it demanded a US$425 million reimbursement from Manila for its investments in the terminal.

A Piatco official, who asked not to be named, says they rejected the government's offer because it was not enough to cover the construction costs.

'Under the BOT law, just compensation includes damages and return on equity,' he said.

But Solicitor-General Alfredo Benipayo says any settlement must be based on three conditions: that the terminal is structurally sound and can be used for its intended purpose; it must be safe and secure; and that actual and reasonable costs are independently determined and audited, based on verifiable evidence.

'Any settlement here would have to follow these conditions. The interest of the government must prevail,' says the chief government lawyer.

Mr Benipayo lashed out at Piatco for refusing to allow the government to inspect the terminal to see if it is safe or to open its financial books to auditors.

'The government rejects any settlement that will put at risk the safety of passengers and employees at the terminal or will require the government to pay a centavo more than the terminal's actual and reasonable cost,' he said.


Tell us something we don't know :D

http://203.160.181.151/miaa/default.asp

D man lang inayos links... pangit. walang photos

nakakahiya! kailan ba? =( I really, reeally hope this could open, even by Christmas 2004.

Hmm.....sorry about the posting of the precious article....never notice it was above.......

Anyway, how long has the airport been completed?? Any technical datas(floor space, max passenger volume etc??)??

hey... this was posted twice!

do we have to open the terminal jst for the sake of opening it jst to show to the whole world hey the phils got a brand new terminal but is it safe, secured??? is it really systems ready etc. im as frustrated as thousands of pinoy passengers who come to visit the country every year using the old marcos era terminal that today is like an eyesore with all the modern skyscrapers that u usually see during touchdown, i really pray the government and piatco will finally agree and open the terminal after all the defects, deficiency or what ever that have to rectified to open the terminal to the riding passnergers, airlines

forgive me but whenever i see naia 1 after touch down the terminal looks like it a structure out of this world, that has to be demolished right away

i truly agree times 10 times 10 to the 10th power. Naia 1 is just soooooo obsolete already. Everytime i use the terminal, i feel like im being robbed of the 550 pesos that they mug me for the terminal fee. Its just sad especially once the plane touches down on your destination, it makes you hope and pray na "sana meron din nito sa pinas". But the thing is, meron na!!! And although its not as big, spanky, and shapely built as say SIN, BKK, HKG, KUL, KIX, etc, it is still a far cry from NAIA 1. And worse is the day when you have to come back!!! The moment the plane touches down and then you disembark via the airbridge, you'll definitely feel a level of disappointment. From the rusty air bridges, to the linoleoum floors (don't get me started on that. Whoever thought of putting linoleoum on an airport floor is an idiot. Does nobody mind the loud "tak-tak-tak!" noise that the trolley or cart make when you push your bags around the terminal? Well it drove me crazy sometimes). And of course, the arrival area, where your "sundo" picks you up. Gosh. Ang panget. Imagine being picked up by your friends and family, even your grandmother and they are there looking like prisoners (literally) getting wet in ther rain. Mukha kasing prison bars yung nandun!!! at least ngayon meron nang konting bubong pero pangit pa din!!! I just hope that everyone involved would agree on a compromise soon because Terminal 3 has been a sitting duck for almost 2 years now. It is not getting any newer. My only fear is that when the time comes when they are already ready to open up the terminal, they will find out that it is not suitable for operations anymore because of wear and tear (although it hasnt really been worn yet. lolz). Does the government even hire maintenance people for terminal 3 like janitors, etc? I know there are guards or at least a guard because there is one at the entrance. Well the govt should so that the interior would remain clean and tidy and not sitting there gathering dust, roaches and mice. The least we can hope for is having a brand new interior even though the structure has been built for 2 years already.

If the government couldnt really expedite the openning and they are really doing their best with t3, one ting they can do just to alleviate some of the disappointment from passengers is to renovate the friggin t1!!! Im sure it wouldnt take a lot of money and time. T1 is very small so i bet that they can do it in less than a year. I mean theay have to do it sooner or later since news has it that it becomes the new domestic terminal once t3 opens. And if the are concerned regarding security, well they can do the renovations by portions. they can close down parts of the terminal one by one until the entire thing is done.

Haay...so much for my diatribe. hehehe.

Wouldn't it be funny if the new BKK airport opens in a few years and NAIA3 still hasn't? :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

tsk...tsk...we can go on & on & on as usual, but we cant do anythin bout it...its all upto the hands of the tribunal thingy....sobra na talagang kahihiyan ang pasan natin na kagagawan ng sarili nating govierno dito....terminal3 is the biggest single item that immediately comes over to my mind whenever im made to assess phil. govt, 'as practiced by filipinos....'

Wouldn't it be funny if the new BKK airport opens in a few years and NAIA3 still hasn't? :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

That wouldn't be funny at all. Nakakahiya lang sa mga ASEAN/Asian neighbors natin.

I think the new BKK airport was also mired in controversy for a few years. but in their case, it was before construction began and was completed - saving enthusiasts like us the drooling and rage and all!! haha... I just really, really hope they get this over with asap!

@Crazy4Airplanes - hahaha...! exactly how I remember T1. hahaha.. grabe... the friggin linoleum floors with the little beveled circles or whatever.

don't get me started on that. Whoever thought of putting linoleoum on an airport floor is an idiot. Does nobody mind the loud "tak-tak-tak!" noise that the trolley or cart make when you push your bags around the terminal? Well it drove me crazy sometimes

and then when I was around 10 or so, I actually thought the waiting shed thingamajig across the arrival exits was a jail!! oh my... ugh! and i'd be like freaked going through there. hahahahahaha...!!! i'm not kidding!

Imagine being picked up by your friends and family, even your grandmother and they are there looking like prisoners (literally) getting wet in ther rain. Mukha kasing prison bars yung nandun!!!

NAIA T2 actually isn't too bad. maintenance just really sucks. I love its architecture though... sorry for going OT...

well... the linoleum flooring maybe because during the time it was constructed.. linoleum is still a fine floor decor...unlike nowadays...well most airports are carpetted...

speaking of Terminal 1, what's up with the renovation that's supposed to be happening while we wait for T3?

absent-minded. i agree with the poor maintenance of t2. whenever i go there. the exterior is just soooo dirty. but the terminal itself is nice. still better that the condemned t1

poor maintenance is what usually brings airports from good to crap. NAIA1 would have been respectable in some ways, if it had put carpets on its floors, replaced those chairs with better ones, constantly cleaned-out and replaced broken toilets. unfortunately that wasn't done, or wasn't done properly.

Wouldn't it be funny if the new BKK airport opens in a few years and NAIA3 still hasn't?

I think it would be hysterical!:lol:

I think it would be hysterical!:lol:

That would be too disappointing. I'd like to see the airport OPENED before the new BKK airport. :)

I know...i was kidding/sarcastic.

I know...i was kidding/sarcastic.

Haha yeah... I knew that :D Just that I felt it would be too disapointing if they opened it later than the BKK airport that was built later as well. ^_^

Haha yeah... I knew that :D Just that I felt it would be too disapointing if they opened it later than the BKK airport that was built later as well. ^_^

wanna start making bets?

what will open first?

NAIA T3
DMIA with 80 gates
BKK's new airport

wanna start making bets?

what will open first?

NAIA T3
DMIA with 80 gates
BKK's new airport

What are the stakes, terms, conditions of this bet? :)

guys. i just watched the Amazing race kanina. The racers went to the Philippines and unfortunately, T1 was the one that they used. They had to take kasi Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific from Auckland New Zealand. Grabe. Ang panget talaga. Mas maganda pa yung airport ng Calcutta sa India which was featured 2 weeks ako on the same show. Lalo pang pumangit kasi ang ganda ng airport ng Auckland New Zealand, ng Hong Kong Chep lak kok chaka Singapore Changi which were all featured kanina lang. Nahihiya lang ako as Pinoy kung anong feeling ng mga foreigners. Kung tayo nga eh napapangitan na lalo pa kaya sila. hehehe

guys. i just watched the Amazing race kanina. The racers went to the Philippines and unfortunately, T1 was the one that they used. They had to take kasi Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific from Auckland New Zealand. Grabe. Ang panget talaga. Mas maganda pa yung airport ng Calcutta sa India which was featured 2 weeks ako on the same show. Lalo pang pumangit kasi ang ganda ng airport ng Auckland New Zealand, ng Hong Kong Chep lak kok chaka Singapore Changi which were all featured kanina lang. Nahihiya lang ako as Pinoy kung anong feeling ng mga foreigners. Kung tayo nga eh napapangitan na lalo pa kaya sila. hehehe

Yeah, it was indeed a let down coming from such awesome airports like SIN and HKG. Here's what I said in the Amazing Race thread.

Also one thing I noticed last night....you know how they show interior shots of the airports where the racers are seen running through the terminal? Well, sad to say that they didn't show the insides of NAIA T1....guess that says a lot as to how ugly and inconvenient it really is. Shame..shame..shame. :nono:

well... as i said in that thread... maybe, its because there is no exciting scenes in their arrival... probably we'll see NAIA1 next week on their departure for the US...

I can't wait for the teams to try to get to their next destination before the others and try to book a flight on PAL. Oh yes, we might see Terminal 2 but hehehe....

Scene at next destination -
Host: You came in last.

yup... we'll let's hope they book for PAL.. since no one can get in the airport without a ticket....but I doubt since most PAL flights to North America is early morning.... unlike the others which are at night.... unless they miss those flights...

PAL flights to North America depart at 4:15pm at the earliest to Vancouver. they could take that flight cuz they will be going into canada before heading back to the US, right...? flights to LAX and SFO depart around 10-10:30pm... if they are going into Canada, then there are bigger chances of seeing PAL and T2 cuz PR106 should be the fastest flight from MNL. hahaha... we'll just have to see, I guess...

They are going to Canada, not the US!!!:eek: So we might just see them going to T2 instead of T1.

yeah. they are going to canada. but remember guys, PALs Vancouver service is only 4x a week. What if theres no vancouver flight for pal on the day of their departure. also, i think that the racers wouldn't want to wait till the afternoon to get a flight. There are lots of flights in the morning that could easily connect them to their destination. sorry to burst your bubble but i don't think it is likely for them to use T2 going to canada.

BUT!!!!! Lets not give up hopes yet of seeing T2. Remember, the teams must still travel to palawan. Puerto princessa is served daily by PAL. But it is still not a guarantee because both Cebu PAcific and Air Philippines go to Puerto Princessa too. If the racers know whats good for them, they will book on a PAL flight. If they thought that NAIA 1 is crap, just immagine their reaction to the old domestic terminal. hehehehe

well.. they are going to El Nido and not in Puerto Princesa... Palawan has airports in Puerto Princesa (central Palawan), Busuanga, Cuyo and El Nido (northern tip of Palawan). I'm not sure if they are all served by PAL and Cebu Pacific....

anyways... they are here, as I remember last Feb 25 to 26th.

I just got the flight Schedule for El Nido....http://www.asiatravel.com/balikbayancenter/accomodations/elnidolagen/

The daily flight schedule are as follows:

Manila - El Nido ETD 7:30 AM and 3:00 PM
El Nido - Manila ETD 9:30 AM and 5:00 PM

Roundtrip Airfare

Adult Php 8, 800 net/adult
Child (2 to 11 years old) Php 5,300 net/child

using the A.Soriano Hangar
http://www.asiatravel.com/philippines/elnidolagen/gifs/aviationmap.jpg

so I guess we won't see the T1 or T2 except for the trip to Canada...

map of Lagen Island...
http://www.marsman-tours.com.ph/images/hotel_elnido_map.jpg

i don't think PAL has flights to El Nido.

where are the pics? bat nawala...

its safe to say that t-3 is dead :sleepy: its so sad cause the philippines really need that terminal -3 almost in desperation not only to accomodate the passengers but also to give the philippines a positive image upon arrival. fraport should have operated the t-3 but greedy gma have to put her noise were it didn't belong.....i notice on the amazing race that the daughter of gma was at the finish line congratulating the contestant...she looks like t-1

are you sure it's dead or is this speculation?

how clean is Fraport's hands btw?

it is NOT dead. no matter what happens, it will still open; it won't end up like the bataan nuclear power plant, primarily because all the parties fighting over it want to see it opened, albeit in their own way. The worst case scenario is for T3 to open in two or three years when the arbitration is done; whichever side wins will make sure that the terminal opens.

Besides, there are already rumors that a businessman is going to embezzle millions by brokering a deal between PIATCO and the government.

and fraport's hands are most certainly not clean. They did their fair share of bribing, among other things.

If this project didn't start under Estrada's term, then we most probably wouldn't be in this mess. And if we simply let PIATCO and fraport run the terminal? what are the consequences?

- we would be barred from constructing another international airport within the vicinity (i.e. clark) until t3 is almost at full capacity.

-PIATCO would have gotten away with cheap materials. Takenaka, the contractor or so of the project refuses up until now to issue a quality assurance certificate for T3. what does that have to say about the terminal, as Takenaka themselves constructed it?

-if T3 ever loses money, under the contract, the government would have been OBLIGED to cover PIATCO's losses.

-Where on earth is the cargo terminal?

-Where on earth is the tunnel? The terminal is on the wrong side of the airport as it is. without a tunnel, people are going to have an even more fun experience switching between airports. Also, without a tunnel, baggage forwarding and cargo transfer is virtually impossible, unless of course, if making a mad dash across the runway with everbody's luggage is an actual option. Or if you want to play it safe, we can get an ancient, retired 747 and use it for taxiing between the terminals!

and finally, maybe its NAIA1's facilities, but let's not forget that T3 is just a consuelo de bobo of what was originally planned, but messed up by gross corruption. :)

solblanc
thanks for the info. yeah if those are the agreement, i could now understand why GMA wouldn't let the t3 just open with the curent areement.

i hope your right ..solblanc...3 yrs is a long time but its worth the wait to know its going to open....i will be going back home for good in november of 2008 and if t-3 is still not open i have to conclude that t-3 is going to have the same fate as the bataan nuclear plant....i really hope that your right..solblanc

I agree with solblanc...T3 is not dead, and the government will see to it that it wont die. At least i trust that will happen, the thing i dont trust is the dates they say it will open.

@cruizer don't worry, by 2008, if t3 isn't open, then it means that you'll be arriving at an upgraded DMIA :D

sounds like your not sure about t-3 ever opening (solblanc) by saying the opening of dmia :sleepy: now that info you give us throws me in doubt of what you said about t-3 opening in 3 yrs no matter what happens...for the record im speculating that t-3 will have the same fate as the bataan nuclear plant...i hate to say it but it looks more more t-3 is going the same road as the bataan....i hope im wrong...lets see if solblanc is right ...i hope he is :)

@cruizer: I was teasing dear :p it looks like you take the issue of this terminal pretty close to heart :D

The Terminal will open in GMA's Time. I can tell shes a really strong leader now that she will have a steady gov't and coalition in support of her

has anyone read about Dubai's terminal three that collapsed while under construction just a while ago? I just found out that Aeroports de Paris (ADP) was the one who designed the terminal. they were also the ones that did CDG's recently collapsed terminal and NAIA-3...!! i dunno if they were the architects, cause I thought it was SOM, but I've read a lot of times about how in the early 90s, I think, Ramos or somebody commissioned ADP to work out the expansion plans of NAIA. no one can prove who caused either of the collapses, but this doesn't seem to be a mere coincidence...

i thought that was NAIA2..

Its Naia 2 that is designed by Aeroports de Paris

yeah. that's right. and SOM designed T3. doesn't T3 have structural problems of itself? guess T1's the only structurally safe airport in MM :D :lol:

yeah. that's right. and SOM designed T3. doesn't T3 have structural problems of itself? guess T1's the only structurally safe airport in MM :D :lol:

And T1 was designed by a Filipino, Leandro Locsin.:)

I hate Leandro Locsin. Unimaginative modernist garbage.

i pray that we get to see that new Terminal 3 open, so we dont have to use the crowded, old and decrepit Terminal 1 that most of us have to endure when we have to make a trip to MNL. i hope its fate wont be sealed bec of shady business dealings and corruption prevented it from opening. I hope the NAIA3 problem will be solved so that NAIA1 will be closed immediately. It's so embarrassing!

@jude.. I think that Mr. Locsin don't deserve to be hated... he designed the T1 in the 60's or 70's I guess and during that time, T1 is still up-class... probably the people to be hated are those tasked on maintaining the terminal... T1 just looked crappy this years because of the construction of world-class and hi-tech airport terminals in other cities.... :D

hay jude dont say that!! oh pls. dont hate him...locsin is in fact one of the better natl artists we have, or all our N A's are actually brilliant & well-deserving to be called as such, c/o our humanities prof. & i agree w/ paul, terminal1's design during its time is impressive & highly commendable (twas part of the marcos couples' edifice complex) & when twas opened in 1981, its one of the best airports in SEA, no joke, its just that we really need to replace it coz decades have already passed & times are changing, t1 has finally come to its retirement stage of usage. :)

I hate Leandro Locsin. Unimaginative modernist garbage.

umm.. all modern-style buildings are unimaginative. prove me wrong.

umm.. all modern-style buildings are unimaginative. prove me wrong.

The word "modern" encompasses so much. What's modern? It would be difficult to prove all "modern-style" buildings are unimaginative or otherwise, when the word "modern" itself is so fluid..

For example, some people would consider the Guggenheim Bilbao as "modern". I wouldn't think this is "unimaginative".

RE: Leandro Locsin's involvement with T1, I only meant to point out the irony that it's the terminal designed by a Filipino that seems to be more sturdy, compared to the works of Aeroports de Paris (considering what happened to CDG Terminal 2F and DXB Terminal 3). I don't know if any of SOM's airport terminal designs (MNL T3 for example) have collapsed.

when i said modern i was talking about the "modernist and international style" of buildings. it's the style of architecture widespread during the 60's and 70's.

i dunno what the Guggenheim Bilbao is classified as. but modernist buildings are usually identified as very little in detail (glass box scrapers), and unlike art deco, built for only its purpose, nothing fancy)

http://www.geocities.com/renell_lope/Others/terminal1.txt

T3!!! my way:D

^ If it was any longer it almost looks like KIX (Osaka Kansai International Airport)! :)

is the other side really longer?

I love the view of the gates at the side of the access road. But am not surprised in the future if they will put "yeros" on the steel gates for "security" crap.

Tom Bradley of LAX is not so secure... Even well wishers could enter the terminal.

The right wing has three gates in the foreground, while the left wing has six gates, And there are twelve gates behind.

At LAX, greeters can enter the terminal (landside only), they just can't get past the security check points to the departure gates (airside). Only ticketed passengers are allowed access beyond security. :)

yup...just got back last month. I hate that terminal...

Anyway, NAIA 3 was shown on TV. may talks daw between Fraport, PIATCO, and the gov't. Ok naman yung seats ng pre-departure area...may cushion... Walkways were cool. Terminal daw is still in good shape. Ganda... But may not be grand as BKK's new airport... At least we get a break from NAIA1. Hope talks go well tom. Pray that it opens in three months as the news feature said... :)

Fraport partner to meet gov't on NAIA 3 opening
The Cheng family of Philippine International Airport Terminals Co., Inc. (Piatco) is waiting to renegotiate with the government on the opening of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

Piatco treasurer Jefferson G. Cheng said yesterday new discussions will soon be under way. "We are waiting for them to convene their panel of negotiators. I think the government and Piatco have the mutual interest of laying the issue to rest for the purpose of opening the terminal," he added.

In Malacañang last Tuesday night, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye told reporters that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo favored the opening of NAIA 3, and that this could happen probably by next year.

He also said a prominent lawyer and politician was now helping President Arroyo getting NAIA 3 opened soonest.

Mr. Cheng admitted there were talks between the Cheng family and President Arroyo after the elections, in an effort to resolve the issue.

The government's dispute with Piatco on the terms of the construction and operation contracts for NAIA 3 is pending at the International Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes in Washington.

Mr. Cheng said the impression his family got during the meeting with Ms. Arroyo was that the government wanted to open NAIA 3 with Piatco's cooperation, as opposed to a takeover.

"We are hopeful that the government will cooperate with us. We're doing this for the travelling public. It will be a good sign for the country if this terminal can be operational soon," he added.

Piatco, which built NAIA 3, is 60% owned by the Cheng family, while 30% is owned by German airport operator Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide (Fraport). The remaining 10% is owned by a Japanese stockholder. The Arroyo government has questioned Piatco's contract to build and run NAIA 3.

In May 2003 the Supreme Court declared the contract null and void, citing onerous provisions and irregularities in bidding. -- Beverly T. Natividad

i hope the issues will be resolved soon between parties to their full satisfaction so we can finally see the t3 open next year

i saw footage of t-3 on the world tonight news..wow t-3 really is a world class airport...hope it will finally open in 3 months or ealry next year ..just great to hear the positive news :)

i saw footage of t-3 on the world tonight news..wow t-3 really is a world class airport...hope it will finally open in 3 months or ealry next year ..just great to hear the positive news :)

I'm already salivating to see photos of the interiors of T3! Is that news footage shown only in the Philippines? Are there any global/international news organizations that carry the footage too (like CNN, MSNBC or FOXNews)?

Glad to hear that they're (the parties involved) actively persuing the end deal to this fiasco. T3 is way overdue and should have been operational couple of years ago.

is the other side really longer?

I love the view of the gates at the side of the access road. But am not surprised in the future if they will put "yeros" on the steel gates for "security" crap.

Tom Bradley of LAX is not so secure... Even well wishers could enter the terminal.


yeah, the other side is longer than the other. i dunno if you've seen the scale models of T3 in... where is it now? it was in T1's checkin before

when i said modern i was talking about the "modernist and international style" of buildings. it's the style of architecture widespread during the 60's and 70's.

i dunno what the Guggenheim Bilbao is classified as. but modernist buildings are usually identified as very little in detail (glass box scrapers), and unlike art deco, built for only its purpose, nothing fancy)

With that definition, I would agree that modernist-style buildings are indeed unimaginative. But I think there is still beauty in their stark functionality.

Personally though, I would prefer a little more beauty in buildings, as would most people, I would think. Maybe that's why the style that's prevalent today is "post-modern".

Will the underground link between T3 and T1/T2 be completed by next year? Is it even being constructed?

theres no sign of construction yet, & its quite difficult to figure how r they suppose to connect t2 & 3 or the 3 of them altogether, coz in a sense, its like theyre facing at the back of each other w/ the main runway situated between them (t1 & 2 parallel & 3-perpendicular), & it would be very expensive as well if u make it underground.

so far yung naia expressway connecting slex pa lang ang 'full swing' 30% completed, w/ columns already.

does it go to Roxas blvd/Coastal Road? we haven't had an update:D!!!

It will but it's not on that phase yet.

will they build the columns to there first or will they finish the road part to NAIA from SLEX first?

keretoce.....i saw the footage on the filipino channel here in the states...it was only shown on the tcf channel...

Finish SLEX to NAIA first.... kainis nga eh. Eh d sana connected na ang SLEX to Coastal... darn

ok... now i have to watch tonight's tv patrol. haha...!! the cut version, which'll hopefully include NAIA-3...

Finish SLEX to NAIA first.... kainis nga eh. Eh d sana connected na ang SLEX to Coastal... darn

imo SLEX to NAIA first is a good idea. :) SLEX to Coastal can come later. like the name of the project, NAIA Expressway, it should prioritise connection to NAIA;)

good job renell! how did you do that?

Palace is still for the opening of NAIA terminal 3
09/30 5:22:22 PM from Philstar.com

Malacañang Thursday said that President Gloria Arroyo has not changed her stand and is still for the opening of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.

Presidential Spokesman and concurrent Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye made the statement in his regular press briefing in Malacañang this afternoon.

"This is the subject of continuing studies but the objective of the President is to have an early opening of PIATCO," Bunye said, referring to the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (PIATCO), the builder and contractor of the airport.

Bunye admitted that the Terminal 3 has been there for years and it is now time to open the state-of-the-art terminal to the public.

"I believe everybody will benefit from an early opening of Terminal 3," he added.

It will be recalled that the scheduled opening of the newly constructed NAIA Terminal 3 last year was stalled after the Supreme Court nullified the PIATCO contract.

-----------
Yah, yah, yah, yah.............we've been hearing this all the time.........

Just open that damn terminal as soon possible!!!! :bash:

@edmund, MS paint

that's good news, but this has been GMA's old stance. still no date though:(

I just watched a news clip about it @ TV Patrol. Senator Alfredo Lim said: Naiiyak nalang ako sa hinayang... This is good news; hope the terminal FINALLY gets opened =)

yeah!! i saw it too.. damn, it's nice :) Hope it will be a transit hub....even if it's small. Will well-wishers be allowed inside like at LAX before the security check?

WOOOOOOWWWW!!!!!! I just saw it on world tonight sa ANC. Grabe. i wish i could tour the facility with them. Grabe. it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO beautiful. Tama yung sinabi ni Fred Lim. pati ako naiiyak na din in anticipation. my gosh guys. i had no idea that the departure/arrival area is that nice. My gosh. its actually better than LAX. NAIA 3 has a bright and sunny interior because of the lights. whereas ang LAX and dilim!!! last lime i went there, the departure area smelled like piss. yuck!!!!!

Lord, sana po buksan na ang NAIA 3 para naman po sa aming mga atat na atat na at sobrang naghihintay sa kanyang pagbubukas. sana by december!!!! in time for the holidays. kahit yung airport facility lang muna. wag na muna yung mga duty free shops.

thanks renell!

wow, hope NAIA 3 would finally open, hope all the disputes would get settled

Lord, sana po buksan na ang NAIA 3 para naman po sa aming mga atat na atat na at sobrang naghihintay sa kanyang pagbubukas. sana by december!!!! in time for the holidays. kahit yung airport facility lang muna. wag na muna yung mga duty free shops.

Amen! :hahaha: I guess we should all pray to whatever god (or gods) that hears us! Now I'm really all worked-up about this, hope it opens just in time for the holiday rush of balikbayans. :)

awww...I didnt watch World Tonight on TFC.:( I missed it.

but it looks like there is progress, i have a feeling it will open very soon.

A little bit of nostalgia here....okay, I'll admit it....T1 was beautiful in its hey-days. :)

http://www.philskies.net/library/Lemon/MIA2.jpg

http://www.philskies.net/library/Lemon/MIA3.jpg

http://www.philskies.net/library/Lemon/MIA4.jpg

Thanks to www.philskies.net for the photos!

I heard in the news in GMA7 that they plan to have the terminal 3 opened by next year.... oh I hope it opens earliear like this November or early December so I can walk in there during the holidays... :D

GMA7 only had a few shots of the interior with the conveyor belt and the check-in area.. and its bright inside.. probably because of the white interior... boy... I should have watched World Tonight....

yeah, no doubt about it that NAIA 1 was one of the best airports in the region during its time. But now, it is old and needs to be replaced.

ough...i really wish i watched it too. Somebody should have given me a heads up:D

it wasn't on last night's TV Patrol here (which was for the one they air wednesday in manila), so I'm hoping it's gonna be on tonight. I wanna see the inside again. been drolling over those pictures in that Bluprint mag. haha...!

NAIA-1 does look nice in those shots. so much more grand than either NAIA-2 or 3 in their respective times. they could do a massive refurbishement of the interiors and exteriors and recycle it as a new domestic terminal once NAIA-3 opens. that'd be nice.

NAIA 3 declared to be in top shape
By RECTO MERCENE | TODAY Senior Reporter

The officials of the Airline Operators Council on Thursday unanimously affirmed that the NAIA Terminal 3 is in “tip-top shape” following an inspection upon the invitation of the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (PIATCO), to disprove claims that the terminal is rotting away.

More than 50 airline officials visited the sprawling air terminal which had lain idle since the Supreme Court’s November 2002 decision declared the contract between PIATCO and the government null and void.

Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Edgardo Angara and Alfredo Lim also visited Terminal 3 and were equally impressed with what they saw.

All three asked why the airport terminal is not being put to good use.

But Malacañang replied that President Arroyo has not changed her stand and is still for the opening of the PIATCO-built terminal.

“This is the subject of continuing studies but the objective of the president is to have an early opening of PIATCO,” said Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye. He admitted that Terminal 3 has been idle for years and it is now time to open the modern terminal.

“I believe everybody will benefit from an early opening of Terminal 3,” he said.

About three months ago, Malacañang said government lawyers and the lawyers of PIATCO and Fraport, the German partner in the consortium, will meet middle of 2005 to discuss a possible settlement of the controversial project.

The government, through former airport manager Edgardo Manda, said that the Manila International Airport Authority has enough funds to buy off PIATCO and that the only stumbling block is the final amount emerging from arbitration.

News reports allegedly released by the Terminal 3 detractors said that the multimillion peso equipment, electronic computers and other facilities are deteriorating and can no longer be operated.

To disprove the allegations, Takenaka Corp., a Japanese partner in the PIATCO consortium invited embassy officials from Australia, New Zealand, America and Japan to inspect the facilities last Monday.

All of the officials said they were all impressed by the air terminal’s condition. They were all amazed, they said Thursday, at how PIATCO had maintained the terminal despite its not being used for two years.

“I’m amazed how they were able to maintain it in top form,” Cathay Pacific district manager Ed Monreal said. “The entire place is spick and span. You won’t see a trace of dust.”

Another official, Adin Gonzales of Northwest Airlines, added that all the fixtures were in order. The lights, the baggage build-up area, conveyors, carrousels, escalators and moving walkways were all working.

“They should open this airport, regardless of who operates it,” Gonzales added.

Government and private individuals have voiced their consent to open the terminal while litigation is going on.

Built for $560 million, the terminal is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger and baggage-handling equipment, as well as the latest in bomb-detecting machines.

It covers an area of 1,100 sq m—four times bigger that the NAIA Terminal 1. It has 34 air bridges, 140 check-in counters and 150 concession spaces. It is also equipped with $2 million CTX 9000 x-ray machines which can detect firearms and molecular particles of explosives.

To date, the government has lost approximately P1.2 billion in revenues due to the cancellation of PIATCO’s contract.

PIATCO was contracted to pay the government P510 million annually for the first five years of operation, plus P396 million or 36 percent of all terminal fees collected. Also included is the five percent gross revenues that PIATCO will have to share with the government.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I seriously cannot wait to see this terminal opened up. how does Bunye consider any future opening of the terminal "early"? in two months it'll be two years since it was supposed to be opened. but it's good to know it's been well taken care of... or is that just to convince GMA to let PIATCO operate and maintain it?

anyway, does T3 really have 34 airbridges/gates? renell's drawing only has 21, and I thought that was about how many it had all along.

So how many airbridges/gates does

NAIA1 have?
NAIA2?
and the infamous NAIA3?

Thanks.

it wasn't on last night's TV Patrol here (which was for the one they air wednesday in manila), so I'm hoping it's gonna be on tonight. I wanna see the inside again. been drolling over those pictures in that Bluprint mag. haha...!

NAIA-1 does look nice in those shots. so much more grand than either NAIA-2 or 3 in their respective times. they could do a massive refurbishement of the interiors and exteriors and recycle it as a new domestic terminal once NAIA-3 opens. that'd be nice.

And what about NAIA2 which has so much capacity for domestic flights...Sayang naman kung ma-uunderutilize yun. Maybe an international budget airline terminal like they want to do in Singapore could be an option for old rotting NAIA1.

NAIA1 -- budget airline international terminal
NAIA2 -- domestic terminal
NAIA3 -- international terminal

But what I hope them to do is close down NAIA1... it's so disgusting and such an eyesore upon arrival. :bash: and all international airlines move to NAIA3... which reminds me, parang walang mga LED signs sa labas ng terminal showing flights and airlines. Yung Terminal 2 meron...

hmmm.... I don't think they can make Terminal 2 a domestic terminal.. since it is privately owned (i think) by Lucio Tan or by PAL.... the old NAIA would be a good domestic terminal.. way better than the current Manila Domestic Airport.... at least domestic flights will go on the plane by the gates and not walking to the plane...

pau_p1 : Terminal 2 is the destined and planned all-domestic terminal replacing the old Manila Domestic Airport. PAL used T2 for international TEMPORARILY due to exhausted capacity of T1 for international. T2 is not privately owned. It is owned by the Philippine Government through MIAA. The old domestic airport should be closed down. I wonder why they did not do that ASAP so domestic airline could move in T2.

Anyway. here's a nice review I found for NAIA Terminal 1.

A Capital Airport?
Jun 10 '04

Author's Product Rating



Pros
Clear direction signs

Cons
Poor facilities, security hassles, long check in times

The Bottom Line
I hate answering this as you cant recommend an airport as there are no alternatives. I would say no, but if you fly to Manila you have to use it.


Full Review
I was told that one of the first ways to know you are nearing Manila Airport or to give it its proper name Ninoy Aquino International Airport ( Code MNL) was to look at the sea and watch for the change of colour from a brilliant blue to a dark brown. Unfortunately, that indeed was one indicator I did notice as the coast became nearer.

Once the plane got lower my immediate impression was that the airport was actually very close to built up areas but in some ways this proved to be an illusion as the majority of places people will want to go to are still over 10k away.

On landing, I was struck by how quiet the airport was, there were relatively few planes docked at the piers and only one other plane taxi-ing to the runway, this was about 4pm on a Friday afternoon. Leaving the plane was quick and I was glad to see relatively clear signs telling me which way to go ( always a good bonus in an airport ). The route from the plane to immigration was about 600m or so with no working travelators which could prove to be a difficult if you have trouble walking. On the way there, you pass what seems to be a new trend in airports – the arrival duty free shop. This one stocked only the major brands of cigarettes, liquors and sweets so I wasn’t really interested. The immigration booths were well manned and I was through in 5 minutes, next stage was baggage reclaim which you can see while standing in line for immigration.

This is where the building starts to show its age. The passenger area up until then is relatively clean and modern – albeit still not really looked after, there still were signs up about SARS for example that should have been taken down a year ago. Once in the baggage reclaim area it becomes more spartan and utilitarian. The toilets although clean are in need of refurbishment and specifically locks on the doors of the cubicles! After getting your bag it’s a short ( 40m ) journey to the green or red channels for customs and thereafter into the arrivals hall.

The arrivals hall itself is actually quite small with a couple of ATMs to your left, a couple of Tourist Information and hotel places to your right. There were no shops that I could see to buy some soft drinks or a little snack to keep you going until your hotel. The first trick you have to do is look as though you know where you are going – otherwise you will be approached by the hotel / tourist information touts. Now by touts I mean they are offering overpriced services you can get on your own at a much cheaper price. It is nothing to do with whether they are working for the “Official Tourist Agency” or not. In many countries that organisation is just designed to suck as much money out of people as possible. In the space of 30 yards I was approached by no less than 4 different people asking the same stupid questions
“Would I like a hotel/taxi?”
“No”

Why is it that in tourist places, that these touts don’t use their brain or at least their eyes to think “oh, they just said no to someone else, I will leave them alone”? No, it’s always, “they just said no, if I ask them again, they might say yes!”

Anyway, if you stay on the ground floor, your transport options unless you are being picked up are very few. There is no direct bus service or railway station to the airport. If you fancy a 300m walk down the exit ramp, you can get a passing bus, or a jeepney into town. ( A jeepney is basically an extended minibus colourfully painted with no windows or rear doors. Its one of the main forms of transportation in the Philippines ) I would not recommend this for the first timer though. The main option is to get the “Official Airport Taxi” For this, the fares are set in advance and are displayed on a board beside the rank 30m outside the exit doors. The fare is paid in advance and you are given a receipt and no further money should be paid. For the area I was going to ( Ermita ) the fare was 380 Pesos which is almost 4 times what it costs to get back to the airport. ( The current exchange rate is US$1 - 55 Pesos )

Another alternative is ( after you have checked the departure board for the airport fares ) to make your way up to the 1st floor ( departure level ) and exit the building that way. After this, flag down a taxi dropping off passengers and ask him to put the meter on and off you go. Officially, though, you and they are not supposed to do this. If you do have to negotiate a fare, you have the board fare to base the fairness of what you are offered. Normally, the more confident you are – even if you are bluffing – the better the fare. If you get to about 40% of the board fare, that is an OK deal, not great but OK. Fortunately, I was being met by someone so didn’t have to put up with that particular hassle.

Leaving the airport you are then put into the lap of the gods that is known as Manila road traffic – but that’s another review.

My return flight was at 11.15 on a Thursday evening and I had been warned about leaving enough time to get through the airport. Coming back from Ermita, I left my hotel at just before 8 in the evening and flagged down the first taxi I saw but he didn’t want to take me to the airport, nor did the second or the third. The fourth initially tried to get a fixed fare of 200P then dropped it to 150P before finally relenting and turning on the meter with wails of “its too far, petrol is expensive, wouldn’t get a return fare and so on”. He even tried to say that the meter fare would be more expensive than the “special fare” he was offering. After a quick 20 minute journey, the fare turned out to be 97 Pesos, a nice little bonus he tried to get. And just as I got out the taxi, a Korean gentleman immediately hired him back into the city.

Now the procedure to enter the airport and fly out of the country is nightmare from start to finish. Even before getting dropped off, the taxi had to stop at a checkpoint and the boot opened and checked. To get into the airport building itself, you must have a passport and ticket for a flight leaving that day. If you don’t have that, you don’t get in. Kiss your friends and family away at the front door. 1st check. Immediately on entering the building you have your bags x-rayed and you walk through a metal detector and are frisk searched. 2nd check. You then move to a counter in between you and the check in queues, all your bags are opened and searched and tickets and passport checked, 3rd check. You then join the check in queue and halfway round that, your tickets and passport checked again, 4th check. Then further round the queue, the main bags are weighed and tickets and passport checked again 5th check. Then finally you check in, where guess what, your tickets and passports are checked again. 6th check.

After checking in, I had a look round the ground side of the departure building and there is absolutely nothing to do. There are no shops, no snack areas, nothing except a currency exchange ( which you may need ! ) The only thing ground side are the check in desks. Because of this I went into the departure area, and queued up to pay what to some people may come as a surprise - the departure tax which must be paid in cash, no cheques or credit cards allowed. Remember to keep that 550 Pesos otherwise its back to the ATM for you! (They do take US$ as well though), departing Immigration is just behind and after another 25 minutes queuing up to clear, I was finally into the departure lounge.

At this point it was around 10.20pm on a Wednesday night and I assumed that quite a few of the Duty Free shops would still be open so I could buy those last minute gifts and of course use the last chance to get rid of the last of the Pesos. Wrong. Infact, only one of the smaller shops was still open with 2 other gift shops. There was also only one small bar with vastly overpriced snack foods and one soft drinks bar still open. For example, a standard can of coke outside the airport may cost 12-15 Pesos, but inside I was charged 50 Pesos.

About 20 minutes later the flight was called and I went to the pier entrance. There I had my hand luggage x-rayed again, a footwear x-ray and a body frisk. 7th check. They actually had a sign said Final Security Check but they lied, it wasn’t. At the departure gate lounge there was one more manual inspection of the hand luggage, tickets, passport and another body frisk. 8th check.

This is one airport that you definitely do need to allow 3 hours to get through. I reckon that adding it all up, I had 10 – 15 spare minutes on being in the airport 2 hrs 50 minutes. And this was on a weekday evening, so heaven only knows what it is like on a busy Friday evening or Saturday afternoon.

Now, one other very important factor to take into account is what airline you fly with. Any other airline apart from Philippines Airlines will use Terminal 1 as the national airline has its own entirely separate Terminal 2 for all international and domestic flights. The two terminals are about a 15 minute taxi ride away from each other, so if you are transferring airlines for a domestic onward/return flight, you must allow plenty of time to change terminals.

Do I recommend it is always a question I hate answering as you cant really recommend an airport as usually there are no alternatives if you want to go to that city or country. If I had the choice I would say no, but if you want to fly to Manila you have to use it whether it was recommended or not.


Recommended
No

Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May

T2 isn't owned by PAL. it's just occupied by them. actually they are being forced (well persuaded) by the gov't to move their international operations to T3. T2 is the original domestic terminal if im not mistaken.

34 airbridge/gates.. hmm... i thought i was around the number..

T2 isn't owned by PAL. it's just occupied by them. actually they are being forced (well persuaded) by the gov't to move their international operations to T3. T2 is the original domestic terminal if im not mistaken.

34 airbridge/gates.. hmm... i thought i was around the number..

NAIA3 has 34 gates... wow :) That's quite big. Baka naman other gates have 2 airbridges... you know what i mean renell?

hmm.. yea, like that one in T2.. could be possibly. though i dont remember seeing T3 pics with such things

ahh.. ok.. I'm mistaken.. hehehe...:D

hey you could be right. i havent seen any T3 pics in a long time now.

I wonder why NAIA always gets reprimanded for lax security when it has some of the world's most stringent already. i mean... my god, take a look at YVR... you can get all the way into the terminal's food court without you or your baggage or your well-wishers being frisked or x-rayed or checked even once. it's not until your bags go through those hidden conveyors past check-in that they finally get x-rayed. passengers and hand carried luggage aren't screened at all til after paying the terminal improvement fee. for all you know, someone could be walking around the building with a bomb in their suitcases, ready to explode, and not a single soul would have a clue. or he could just go up to the fairmont hotel and throw a bomb out of his hotel room window down onto a plane on the tarmac. at Manila, you'd never even be allowed to make it one inch past those doors without a ticket and passport. your car is checked - no matter how haphazardly - by the guards before you can make it through those gates and up the driveway. it's as if you were entering the White House or something, and those Americans still aren't satisfied. is it just bias or what?

biased... hehehhehe...

@ absent - I know!! YVR is so laxed. And the food court is pretty near the gates. btw, you dont pay terminal fee anymore in YVR, the payment is included in the ticket. Whenever i'm there, i dont even feel like its an airport w/o all the security checks. There isnt even immigration when you leave Canada.

YVR? Vancouver?.... yeah even in the US there is no exit Immigration... when I was in the US we were looking for the exit immigration when we came to the gate.. we thought we went past the immigration.. heheheh

yeah... they've included the terminal fee with the ticket. I dunno bout immigration though. i don't remember them having or not having it... haha...

oh yeah, I saw TV Patrol's footage of NAIA-T3 last night!!! oh my god, that thing is huge!! so vast and spacious...! really different from what you expect to see at NAIA-1 or 2. so fudging nice!!!! I truly hope they can have it opened already... I wanna be walking through there next july when I go back (hopefully, PAL transfers there too...). dang it, I should've recorded it. I wanna see it again...

It's just really bias. Actually, NAIA is said to have the second strictest security right after Ben Gurion airport in Israel.

ganda ng NAIA 1 pics, basta mganda cya

Wednesday, October 06, 2004
NAIA 3 ‘off limits’ to Mendoza, Cusi
By Jonathan M. Hicap, Correspondent

It seems that Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza and NAIA General Manager Alfonso Cusi have neither the authority over nor access to the controversial Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

The two executives and other officials of the Manila International Airport Authority were kept out the NAIA Terminal 3 on Tuesday by the Philippine International Air Terminal Corp. (Piatco).

Cusi told The Manila Times that they were scheduled to inspect the terminal to assess the status of the airport’s facilities and equipment.

He, who had gone to the terminal ahead of Mendoza, said he did not foresee any problem because a request to inspect the premises was forwarded to the Piatco management days earlier.

However, Cusi said a lawyer identified only as Atty. Tolentino told him that Piatco had disapproved the visit.

Tolentino supposedly told Cusi that the Piatco management disallowed the visit because of the ongoing arbitration on who should pay for the cost of constructing the airport.

At a press conference, Mendoza acknowledged that he would like the NAIA 3 operational as soon as possible, but stressed that questions about safety and security need to be resolved first.

The government has been losing millions in revenues in the mothballed airport terminal. Piatco is demanding payment from the government amounting to $425 million to cover the cost of the construction.

Fraport AG of Germany has filed an arbitration case against the government with the World Bank International Center for Settlements of Investment Disputes.

The decision of the DOTC to visit NAIA Terminal 3 was inspired by the October 1 visit of Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Alfredo Lim and Edgardo Angara to the facility with the officials of the Airline Operators Council upon the invitation of Piatco.

The senators’ visit was meant to dispel allegations that equipment and other facilities at the NAIA 3 were deteriorating.

The terminal is about 182,000 square meters in size and boasts of 140 check-in counters and 34 air bridges.

The contract to build NAIA Terminal 3 was awarded by the DOTC to Piatco in 1997.

In 2002, President Arroyo disapproved the contract saying that it was null and void.

Piatco filed an arbitration request in March 2003 before the International Chamber of Commerce of the International Court of Arbitration against the Philippine government.

I saw this news this morning... hmmm maybe Piatco wasn't able to dust out the terminal.. hehehe :D

it was also said in the news.. I didn't got the name of who said this.. that they have found 52 defects in their first inspection and that's why they tried to go back yesterday....

ano ba naman to! talaga bang napaganda nitong eyrport nato na lahat na eh pinaguusapan? patingin nga naman ng some pictures oh.

salams!

malamang napakaganda nga, balita ko lan. haha. :colgate:

Arroyo seeks ‘legal, constitutional’ means to operate NAIA 3
Updated 06:20pm (Mla time) Oct 06, 2004

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered government lawyers to use all "legal and constitutional methods" to ensure the operation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 “at the soonest possible time,” her spokesman said Wednesday."The President considers the early opening of NAIA Terminal 3 vital and urgent in the public interest, and will support all lawful and constitutional means -- in the courts, in commercial negotiations, and in the politico-diplomatic arena -- to achieve this goal," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said.
"The sovereign interest will be upheld and we will not allow it to be subverted by certain quarters," Bunye said, a day after Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (PIATCo) officials barred Malacañang and airport representatives from inspecting the NAIA-3 premises.

Bunye did not give details on the government's action on the incident at the airport, saying it was now up to the legal panel.

"We were disappointed that the government was denied (entry). Under the existing law, the Manila International Airport Authorities can exercise oversight over facilities that have something to do with airport operations," he said.

Meanwhile, House Majority Floor Leader Prospero Nograles and Bacolod City Representative Monico Puentevella, chairman of the House transportations and communications committee, pushed for the peaceful settlement of the issue.

"We will persuade them to make another try if only to make use of the airport edifice for tourism promotion," Puentevella said in a statement.

"We remain confident that the issue will soon be resolved at the pleasure and satisfaction of both parties," he said.

"A settlement will always be better than a court battle, which would affect public interest and convenience," Nograles said.

The lawmaker said he feared that a breakdown in negotiations and a NAIA-3 closure could discourage investors to the country.

The Arroyo administration had offered to pay PIATCo 350 million dollars in exchange for its operation of Terminal 3 after the Supreme Court nullified the company’s contract with the government in 2003. Piatco however refused the offer, saying it was not enough to cover its costs.

PIATCo filed an arbitration case with the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and with the World Bank's International Center for Settlement of Investment disputes. Both cases are pending.

President wants NAIA 3 to open next year

Despite unresolved issues, President Arroyo is determined to open the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 next year, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said on Thursday.

Bunye said President Arroyo has also stressed she is ready to face anyone against her plan to open the terminal.

Aside from the arbitration cases filed with 2 international bodies, it was learned that the government is looking into either a commercial or diplomatic settlement with Philippine International Airport Terminals Co., Inc. (PIATCO). The government has offered to pay PIATCO $350 million so it can operate the terminal after the Supreme Court nullified PIATCO’s contract with government last year.

But PIATCO has asked for a compensation of $535 million in its arbitration case with the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce. PIATCO’s German partner Fraport AG has sought a $425-million reimbursement with the World Bank's International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes.

Meanwhile, solicitor general Alfredo Benipayo said NAIA Terminal 3 operations is unlikely to open because of the deadlock on compensation issues between the government and PIATCO.


Benipayo said the government must not give in to PIATCO’s asking price because in the end, it is the people that would have to shoulder the costs through taxes.


He also cited 3 requirements to be followed before the NAIA 3 is opened. He said the government must be satisfied that the overall structure is structurally sound, useful for the intended purpose and safe from external threats.

early opening eh? early next year nga... hehe

wow! good news to that. hopefully, the glass facades and claddings will not broke off when the operation goes full swing.

well the gov't will try to see that doesn't happen. i doubt PIATCO wants that either, because the finger/s will point to them if that happens.

Gov't to try to settle dispute with PIATCo

THE government will attempt anew to amicably settle its dispute with the Philippine International Air Terminals Corp. (PIATCo) for the opening of the Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) “early next year,” an official said.
“Hangga’t maaari mabuksan na early next year [As much as possible, we want to open it early next year],” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said on Thursday.

Between now and December, Ermita added that government negotiators would try to come up with a “commercial deal” with the firm that would allow the government to finally take over and operate the mothballed structure located along the border of Pasay City and Parañaque City.

The administration had offered to pay PIATCo 350 million dollars so it could operate the new terminal after the Supreme Court nullified PIATCo's contract with the government last year. But PIATCo refused the offer, saying it was not enough to cover its costs.

Due to the impasse, the new airport terminal remains mothballed.

To recover its costs, PIATCo filed an arbitration case with the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and hearings have started in Singapore. PIATCo is asking for compensation of about 535 million dollars.

PIATCo's German partner Fraport AG filed a similar arbitration case with the World Bank's International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The German firm is seeking reimbursement of its 425-million-dollar investment in NAIA 3.

Ermita said the amicable settlement was the “commercial” option the government was exploring, along with the diplomatic and legal options, to take over the terminal.

The diplomatic option, he explained, would involve talking to the German government, which was one of the stakeholders of Fraport.

“Fraport is a German firm where the German government has a big share. Thorugh diplomatic channels, we hope we can reach out to Fraport to know if they are willing to settle the dispute,” Ermita said.

Going through the legal option would mean fighting PIATCo and Fraport head on in the international courts where the pending cases are lodged, Ermita said.

finally some action...

when the terminal finally opens, I'm going to miss all our whining, waiting for it to be opened :D

i dont anymore want to get excited if the same cycle of news goes on & on & on....i see it as simple as this, hanggang walang napapag-usapan ang piatco & the govt, then walang bubuksan... :blahblah:

Gov’t awaits NAIA-3 inspection
By Sandy Araneta
The Philippine Star 10/14/2004

Philippine International Air Terminals Co. has yet to issue permission for the government to inspect the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3), a week after Piatco denied a government inspection team entry into the controversial terminal.

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Alfonso Cusi said he had been coordinating with the Piatco management regarding the government’s request for permission to conduct an ocular inspection of the new terminal, which the government panel in the NAIA-3 talks said had several defects.

"I have been coordinating with (Piatco) in order to have an official inspection," Cusi said. "I think they will approve our request. I am just waiting for the confirmation of the schedule."

"I’ve talked to the management of Piatco," Cusi said but refused to identify whom he had talked to, citing legal and confidentiality issues.

He said that once the ocular inspection of the terminal is approved, Piatco will have to power up NAIA-3.

"During inspection, they need to power up the lights, the air-conditioning and other equipment," he said. "There is no tentative date yet when the inspection will be done."

The government panel in the talks with Piatco, he said, only sought an ocular inspection and did not seek an "invasive" or "structural" inspection.

"We just want to see it also," Cusi said, noting that the Senate and airline representatives already conducted their own ocular inspection of the terminal.

Cusi also plans to bring a technical team from MIAA, as well as some members of the Cabinet, once Piatco grants permission to government to survey the property.

However, there is still no confirmation with any member of the Cabinet.

Cusi said the MIAA request will take time, since there must be an agreement between government and Piatco management before they can enter the premises due to a pending court case. "We cannot just go there," he added.

He is confident that NAIA-3 will open and be operational once all the legal issues are resolved. "It’s hard to say when, but this will be solved. There are so many players here involved," Cusi said.

i don't see why PIATCO won't let the gov't inspect T-3. :bash: they could be hiding something we aren't allowed to see, or they still could doing something, perhaps structural tweakings?

im sick of these like issues. soooo exasperating! everyone of them. the govt, PIATCO.

they dont trust each other

i put most of the blame on PIATCO...:mad:

well at least there is some progress, finally...seems like all these legal stuff is taking longer than the actual construction. Looking forward to seeing it getting opened early 2005, hope so.

i put most of the blame on PIATCO...:mad:

well at least there is some progress, finally...seems like all these legal stuff is taking longer than the actual construction. Looking forward to seeing it getting opened early 2005, hope so.


yup i really hope that it opens early next year so when i travel abroad il be using it instead of the old worn down NAIA1..

i hope GMA can show some political will and do what is necessary to give us pinoys a new airport by next year!!

speaking of NAIA-1 anyone been there lately? hows the renovations of toilets and other things going

speaking of NAIA-1 anyone been there lately? hows the renovations of toilets and other things going

the toilets in the departure airside seem to be ok to me, but i didn't seen anything new when i passed there early this month.

are the big barrels of water still there?

are the big barrels of water still there?

Hmm, i think I remember seeing barrels there.. Don't know if it's water though.

nah, still nothing changed ;) barrel of water or barrels of oil... whatever. :D

that is so sad...:no:

Purisima: NAIA Terminal 3 to be operational by 2005
Saturday, October 23, 2004

President Arroyo is committed to opening a controversial airport terminal and hopes to resolve by next year a dispute between the government and a Filipino German consortium that built it, an official said Thursday.

Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 has almost been completed, but the Supreme Court has ruled to cancel the contract between the government and the Philippine International Air Terminals Co., or Piatco, because of alleged anomalies. Germany’s Fraport AG owns a substantial stake in Piatco.

“The President is committed to opening it, and we are doing a lot of things about it,” Trade Secretary Cesar Purisima told foreign journalists. “If things progress the way we expect it to progress, we can resolve the issue, hopefully next year.”

Purisima said he could not outline the administration’s moves owing to ongoing arbitration between the government and Piatco with the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris and between Manila and Fraport with the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes in Washington, D.C.

Piatco is seeking to revive the canceled contract. Fraport claims, among other things, that the Philippines has expropriated its investments.

The Supreme Court in May 2003 annulled the contract on the ground that Paircargo Consortium, the private group that eventually evolved into Piatco, didn’t have the “requisite financial capacity” at the time it won the project in 1997 and should have been disqualified from bidding.

The Court also voided the agreement allowing Piatco to run the terminal, because it contained amendments that effectively converted the deal with the government “into an entirely different agreement from the contract [tendered] upon.”

It said, however, that the government must reimburse Piatco for the expenses it legally incurred in undertaking the project. Piatco claims it invested US$650 million.

The Court upheld the ruling in February.

OMG....but when in 2005? I hope this is final.

Wow...so exactly when? this is something to be excited about.

well at least it isn't much later, in 2010:D

hehe good thing we plan to go visit dec. 2005;)

lol...Thats the very end of 2005. It better be open by then.

I hope it will open on August 2005 coz my relatives from the US will visit here. It is great if they find some improvement in our country at least a good airport.

I hope it opens in the beginning of 2005 so that all the tourists of that year can enter the country through that airport. And i'm going to the Philippines on June, so i hope to finally use that airport before i go to Canada (going back home will be rare when i'm over there).

it better be open at the very least before the SEA Games. that'd be extremely embarassing to have them go through T1...

share ko lang sa inyo tong mga pix na kuha ko sa singapore... instead na mag-taxi, nag-MRT na lang ako papuntang Changi Airport from Yio Chu Kang..


Tenah Merah station
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/kryptonite_819/changi_mrt_1.jpg

Changi Airport entrance from MRT station
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/kryptonite_819/changi_mrt_2.jpg


sana magkaroon ng MRT station kagaya nito sa T3! :D

sana magkaroon ng MRT station kagaya nito sa T3!

I know! I've been there also and it is quite amazing. Maybe the LRT 1 extention Airport/Intermodal station will be as good or better, since line 2 has shown us that it is possible to have an ultra-modern line in MM.

Isn't it that the planned extension of LRT Line 1's station isn't even nowhere near NAIA? You might still have to catch a ride from the station to the airport itself.

nah, it has no direct link to either of the 3 naia terminals, it will strictly be passing only thru the coastal road & aguinaldo hi-way. well i suppose, they have eversince thought bout it, maybe theyre still on a kinda 'wait & see' stage if which between manila & clark would be developed as the country's offcial international gateway. kasi the latter is really the one on the agenda of the president, so.....just an opinion....

Isn't it that the planned extension of LRT Line 1's station isn't even nowhere near NAIA? You might still have to catch a ride from the station to the airport itself.
It's better to have a different line or track to the airport. Parang may interchange just like Tenah Merah station. Baba na lang yung mga pupunta sa airport sa interchange. Then yung airport line may mga station sa bawat terminals. :D

lets not get ahead of ourselves guys.. the airport has to open first before the mrt/lrt terminals can be put in place.. :P

although i do agree on both points that

1) it would be alot better if there is a terminal connecting to the new airport..
2) it should be opened before the SEAG next year..

oh boy.. its going to be an exciting year next year..

yeah, who knows...when will the darn airport open

share ko lang sa inyo tong mga pix na kuha ko sa singapore... instead na mag-taxi, nag-MRT na lang ako papuntang Changi Airport from Yio Chu Kang..

sana magkaroon ng MRT station kagaya nito sa T3! :D

Yup, sana nga magkaroon ng ganito sa maynila. Hangang-hanga rin ako nung ginamit ko yung MRT link ng Singapore MRT papuntang Changi nung isang buwan lang. Tapos, kahit maganda na yung airport ng SIN, tuloy pa rin ang constructions at renovations.

Hehehe... kasi daw.. sa dami ng pera ng Singapore... kaya nila magrenovate ng magrenovate... kahit daw maliit na bitak sa kalye at maayos ayos pa eh repair nila agad ehh....

haha. whow! I'll ask my Singaporean workmates if that is true. I always hear their complains about our politicians...

It's better to have a different line or track to the airport. Parang may interchange just like Tenah Merah station. Baba na lang yung mga pupunta sa airport sa interchange. Then yung airport line may mga station sa bawat terminals. :D

yeah this is a good option, to have an airport line branching out of the main line along the bay going straight to the airport. But before this happens, as others have said, the T3 needs to open first:D

Sorry can someone please translate what has been said about Singapore's MRT into english? Thanks...

Don't worry, its all good things:)

"share ko lang sa inyo tong mga pix na kuha ko sa singapore... instead na mag-taxi, nag-MRT na lang ako papuntang Changi Airport from Yio Chu Kang.. "

means...Let me share some pics i took in Singapore. Instead of using the taxis, i used the MRT to go to Changi Airport from Yio Chu Kang.

"sana magkaroon ng MRT station kagaya nito sa T3!"

this means...if only there was an MRT station like this in T3!

"Yup, sana nga magkaroon ng ganito sa maynila. Hangang-hanga rin ako nung ginamit ko yung MRT link ng Singapore MRT papuntang Changi nung isang buwan lang. Tapos, kahit maganda na yung airport ng SIN, tuloy pa rin ang constructions at renovations."

this means...Yup, if only there was something like that in Manila. (sorry, i can understand the second sentence but i cant translate it:D) Third sentence - And, even if Singapore's airport is nice, there are still renovations and constructions.

"Hehehe... kasi daw.. sa dami ng pera ng Singapore... kaya nila magrenovate ng magrenovate... kahit daw maliit na bitak sa kalye at maayos ayos pa eh repair nila agad ehh...."

hehehe...its because Singapore has lots of money....thats why they can keep renovating. Even if there is a little damage on the road, they will still repair it.

There you go...I think i did a pretty good job, not perfect though.

forgot about this one:

"It's better to have a different line or track to the airport. Parang may interchange just like Tenah Merah station. Baba na lang yung mga pupunta sa airport sa interchange. Then yung airport line may mga station sa bawat terminals."

This means...(skipping the english)...An interchange just like Tenah Merah station. Those that go to the airport just get down on at the interchange. Then, the airport line has a station in the terminal.

Don't worry, its all good things:)

"share ko lang sa inyo tong mga pix na kuha ko sa singapore... instead na mag-taxi, nag-MRT na lang ako papuntang Changi Airport from Yio Chu Kang.. "

means...Let me share some pics i took in Singapore. Instead of using the taxis, i used the MRT to go to Changi Airport from Yio Chu Kang.

"sana magkaroon ng MRT station kagaya nito sa T3!"

this means...if only there was an MRT station like this in T3!

"Yup, sana nga magkaroon ng ganito sa maynila. Hangang-hanga rin ako nung ginamit ko yung MRT link ng Singapore MRT papuntang Changi nung isang buwan lang. Tapos, kahit maganda na yung airport ng SIN, tuloy pa rin ang constructions at renovations."

this means...Yup, if only there was something like that in Manila. (sorry, i can understand the second sentence but i cant translate it:D) Third sentence - And, even if Singapore's airport is nice, there are still renovations and constructions.

"Hehehe... kasi daw.. sa dami ng pera ng Singapore... kaya nila magrenovate ng magrenovate... kahit daw maliit na bitak sa kalye at maayos ayos pa eh repair nila agad ehh...."

hehehe...its because Singapore has lots of money....thats why they can keep renovating. Even if there is a little damage on the road, they will still repair it.

There you go...I think i did a pretty good job, not perfect though.

haha I don't insist that only good things must be said about Singapore, I only want to find out more about whats going on, out of curiosity rather than being overly patriotic.

Thanks for the translation.

Will the airport move to Clark in the near future? What role with the existing NAIA serve in the future then?

There has been so much talk about water or oil barrels at the NAIA T1. Can someone post pictures of what the existing Manila airports look like? Or are pictures not allowed in the airports just like on the MRT Lines?

Are the cab fares to Manila expensive and does it take long to travel to the city? If it is then its better to go with express rail than commuter rail like Singapore's. After all, unless cab fares are expensive and cab rides take forever, airport users will choose cab over train anytime.

What's the total handling capacity of NAIA once T3 is open and how many passengers use it annually at present moment?

Yes, Clark international airport is supposed to start construction next year. It will be the country's primary gateway to the world. NAIA, once DMIA is completed will become a secondary airport similar to Tokyo's Haneda Airport (in contrast to Narita). Other examples are NYC's La Guardia and JFK airports and London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

Cab fares in MM are relatively inexpensive compared to other cities. There are special airport taxis that take passengers from the airport to anywhere in MM and its surroundings. Normal city taxis cannot pickup passengers in the airport, only airport cabs are allowed. They cost a little more than ordinary taxis. There are 3 existing MRT/LRT lines in MM, but none of them goes to the airport. Line 1 extention, which will start construction next year will go to the airport (just read the posts above for our thoughts of it).

T1's capacity is 8 million anually, but it is currently operating at 14 million passengers anually. So we are in desperate need for T3 to open because it has a capacity of about 15 million passengers anually. T2 (supposed to be a purely domestic airport; but is currently being used by PAL) has a capacity of 2-3 million passengers, but it is currently operating more than that because of PAL's international and domestic flights. There is also a small old domestic terminal that other local airlines use.

however, clark airport is only constructing phase 1 so far... the capacity of that phase will be less than that of naia t1. While in the future, the goal is to have DMIA replace NAIA, the two airports will be complementary for now due to lack of proper infrastructure between clark AB and metro manila. DMIA will initially cater to budget airlines. While it would be nice to build something on the level of HKIA or KLIA, we simply don't have the money for it yet. I think that the government has had enough trauma with BOT airports.

If T3 can open, then NAIA's capacity should be okay for the next few years.

What I'm hoping for is that DMIA will grow as an airport on its own, coexisting with NAIA, so instead of a haneda-narita situation, we could have a heathrow-gatwick one. I know that it's much more complicated, but it would be cool, with NAIA slots being the more expensive ones since its right next to Makati (well, T3 is, anyway)

speaking of NAIA-1 anyone been there lately? hows the renovations of toilets and other things going

Here's what I found online! :D


Flush new look for Philippines' airport loos
Manila, Philippines
28 October 2004 12:09

Stinky and dingy toilets in the Philippines' premier international airport will soon get a facelift under a massive renovation programme, officials said on Thursday.

A total of 42 restrooms at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International airport will be renovated under the project, according to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).

Two "model" toilets were opened to the public on Thursday to launch the renovation project.

The two new lavatories, one each for men and women, have a "look comparable with five-star hotels", the MIAA said in a statement.

Each restroom has five cubicles, including one for the disabled, and toilets equipped with infrared sensors, an automatic flushing system and bidets.

The top-of-the-line materials and fixtures used in the model units were donated by various suppliers as free advertisements, said Oscar Paras, a senior assistant general manager at the MIAA.

Paras said the model units cost an estimated five million pesos ($88 809), but stressed that the MIAA did not spend a single centavo on them.

The MIAA said the renovation of the toilets is a priority project of airport general manager Alfonso Cusi, who once said, "If we can't manage our restrooms, we can't manage anything." -- Sapa-DPA