I found in the MIAA website the following pictures of the features of NAIA3 that I mentioned in previous postings.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/docz/press2.jpg
The area above the customs area is a viewing lounge for greeters. You have full length windows to be able to see the person you are greeting as the come out of immigrations, down the escalator and into the baggage claim area.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/docz/Photo1.jpg
This is the separate exit to the taxi stands, which is located on the north side of the head house. Notice the stairway and escalator which leads up to the entrace to the greeters lounge and further up to the departure lobby. I recall a this stairway has a skylight above it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/docz/Photo2.jpg
This is a picture of the landside of the north concourse. The window shows the stairway leading from the third floor down to the first floor departure where the lounges for the remotely parked aircraft positions are located. I think there are also escalators in this passage way that bring the passengers down, but I am not very sure about this.

Here is something I forgot to mention.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/docz/Photo3.jpg
Shown above is a slide they use to send to the apron level hand carry that really should be checked in luggage. I recall on a trip from singapore to manila in which a filipino seaman was checking in the flight carrying a huge box on his shoulder containing a widescreen TV. When told that box was too big to be checked in, he promptly told the person at the desk not to worry because the box was part of his hand carry. I guess if filipinos realize that hand carry will eventually be thrown down this shute, they may be more circumspect in trying to pass off extra large pieces of luggage as hand carry.

im jst wondering whether the new naia 3 will charge fees for the carts, they better be big and brand new, u know how pinoys are with their big balikbayan boxes and baggages

i reckon they would eh. those ones in NAIA1 are free indeed, but awfully small. no wonder jon couldn't fit so much into it.

hahaha.... that would make his TV into scrap... hehehehe....

nice pictures... I like how the greeters to have that view of the baggage carousel area.... :D

Nakaka-excite umuwi just by looking at those pictures. Talagang uuwi ako by January of next year, siguro naman operational na yong airport by that time.

Some news:

4 banks offer loan to MIAA

By DARWIN G. AMOJELAR, The Manila Times Researcher

Four banks have already submitted their proposals to lend the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) for its planned three-year syndicated loan facility worth $300 million, a source told The Manila Times Friday.

MIAA will borrow $300 million to raise funds to finance its planned upgrade as well as compensate the owner and contractor of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA 3).

The banks that had submitted proposals include the Philippine National Bank, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. and Citibank, the source said.

Most of the banks have already formed their group to meet the loan’s huge amount.

"The proposals are under negotiation and these will be evaluated by the Department of Finance and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas," the source said.

The MIAA earlier said that part of the loan will be used for domestic and international airport operation requirements, airport runway improvements and compensation for German firm Fraport AG if a local court makes a decision to pay the contractor.

Fraport is the German construction firm that built NAIA 3.

NAIA 3 started in 1994 as an unsolicited build-operate-transfer project undertaken by Asian Emerging Dragon Corp. In July 1997 the concession agreement was awarded to the Philippine Air Terminals Co. (Piatco), which groups Pair Cargo, Philippine Air and Ground Services Inc. and Fraport, owns 30 percent of the consortium.

In May 2003 the Supreme Court voided the concession agreement, its amendments and supplements. In January 2004 the Court denied Piatco’s motion for reconsideration, and in December of the same year, the government decided to expropriate the $650-million NAIA 3.

Earlier, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the government hopes to operate the terminal for at least six months until interested parties submit bids to take over the mothballed facility.

Piatco has accused the government of breaking the law in taking over the terminal.

Fraport has been seeking compensation of $465 million for the terminal project and the case is under international arbitration.

im jst wondering which decision will the government abide in the matter of jst compensation the local court or the international arbitration

Were they done with the auditing of the whole airport? Fraport and Piatco are so corrupt they are each asking for a ridiculous sum of money for compensation.

Were they done with the auditing of the whole airport? Fraport and Piatco are so corrupt they are each asking for a ridiculous sum of money for compensation.

And I think this is a potential problem for Fraport and Piatco. How to explain where they spent $650M. Given the size and specifications of the terminal, they may find it difficult to explain why the price balloned to such a large figure. And even if they spent all of $650M, there are still provisions in the BOT agreement that set limits to the amount the proponent can spend.

I also find it odd that PIATCO charged expenses for clearing and removal of underground structures in the amount of P70M. Similar excavation works for the RCBC plaza costed only 7M.

im sure fraport and piatco will eventually seek renegotiation with the government and accept an out of court settlement rather than risk exposing their alleged under the table deals in an open trial in the court

im sure fraport and piatco will eventually seek renegotiation with the government and accept an out of court settlement rather than risk exposing their alleged under the table deals in an open trial in the court

I think that is one of the reasons why the government is very bold pursuing a case in an arbitration court. Another would be that the government believes that having a bad image with foreign investors is not as bad as risking the ire of the public with misuse of public funds.

its been a long time since i posted anything about NAIA-3.. im trying to live up to my word on not reading anything about NAIA-3 unless its directly related to the opening.. hehehe.. well i think this is related to the opening.. its from the website of philippine star.. www.philstar.com

MIAA issues draft of agreement for airlines’ transfer to NAIA-3
By Rainier Allan Ronda
The Philippine Star 04/11/2005

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has finally released the draft copy of a "reservation agreement for lease of space" that will serve as a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with international airlines for their transfer to the controversial Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3).

The Airline Operators Council (AOC), an organization of the station managers of the 29 international airlines currently operating at NAIA Terminal 1 (NAIA-1), has already forwarded their respective copies of the reservation agreement to their legal officers for study.

MIAA officials, who requested anonymity, said that the airport body hopes that the agreements will be signed within the month.

The government’s target date for the full operation of NAIA-3 is June 21 and for this, international airlines would have to transfer their office and counter spaces from their current location at the NAIA-1 to NAIA-3 before the said date.

The MIAA has been prevented earlier by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to enter into lease contracts with the different international airlines operating at NAIA-1 for the transfer of their office and counter spaces at NAIA-3.

Instead of lease contract agreements (LCAs), the OSG advised MIAA to instead enter into MOUs with the airlines.

The court has also ordered the government not to exercise ownership rights over NAIA-3, which it expropriated in December 2004.

Liwayway Vinzons-Chato, lawyer and spokeswoman of NAIA-3’s builder, the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (PIATCO), had earlier warned international airlines that they will file charges against any firm that would enter into any agreement with the government for their occupancy of office or counter space at the NAIA-3.

nice...! hopefully the airlines find this acceptable so they can finally start their transfer into NAIA-3. I would be so mad if it isn't open by the time we go back to Manila in early July...!! haha!

@docz - I was just wondering... where would these two parts of the terminal be located relative to each other?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/docz/Photo1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/docz/Photo2.jpg

the second shot is also seen in this photo...

http://img119.echo.cx/img119/7356/66ru.jpg

...and this part is the rightmost end of the landside of the terminal if you are looking from the front (landside), right? so the entrances/exits to the taxi stand (first photo) would be perpendicular to the left of the last photo?

btw, cool info about the hand carry slide thingy. I was thinking that was a stairway and never noticed it was a sliced until you pointed that out... haha!

...and this part is the rightmost end of the landside of the terminal if you are looking from the front (landside), right? so the entrances/exits to the taxi stand (first photo) would be perpendicular to the left of the last photo?

Yes, your correct about the location of the taxi stands. And that is reason why you need to take the rightmost lane upon entering. See attached picture below to see what I mean.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/docz/Photo2ab.jpg
You will also notice a long row of windows on the second floor of the north concourse. If I remember correctly, there is a travellator located here, such that as your move down the travellator, you see to your left the roadway. There was supposed to be a parking lot between the concourse and the roadway, but in the picture it seems that this parking lot is either not visible or has not yet been built. I do wish they would landscape the area, as the vegetation looks awful. I should also mention that the box-like structure on the roof is the motor room of the elevator, which means there must be an elevator shaft beneath that box-like structure.

btw, cool info about the hand carry slide thingy. I was thinking that was a stairway and never noticed it was a sliced until you pointed that out... haha!

Actually there is also a stairway like the other bridge, except that the slide is to the side and obstructs the view of the stairway.

Very world-class. :)

T3's exteriors looks kind of drab and boring, without parked planes it looks more like a shopping mall. But the interiors is really beautiful and you can really tell that it's a world class airport terminal. :)

^ It's kinda reminds me of SM Mega Mall, anyways, I really can't wait till this terminal to open, and it better open.

yeah... terminal 3, after looking at it for all this time now, does seem to be a bit boring. but I think that's only cause it technically is still dead and unoperated. haha..! I'm sure once it opens up the place will look a lot better. I've been wondering though if at terminal 3, given its massive size in comparison to the other two terminals, will still be as busy and congested as T1 and T2 when it finally operates... ehehe!

@docz - thanks for all that info on NAIA-3!! the landscaping in some of the pics does look pretty bad now. that has to be forgiven though, as they've probably been untouched since the thing between the govt and Piatco started up... I hope they clean everything up before the grand opening...

Welll.... just like Changi 2 (I think it's that terminal), which is also SOM, I think it emphasises space and comfort than design, something which NAIA 1 had a lot of.

If NAIA1 was built to accomodate 14-something million, now that would be sweetness.:yes:

Welll.... just like Changi 2 (I think it's that terminal), which is also SOM, I think it emphasises space and comfort than design, something which NAIA 1 had a lot of.

If NAIA1 was built to accomodate 14-something million, now that would be sweetness.:yes:

But you have to understand when NAIA1 was built 1978 the number of international passengers was only two million. If the Philippine government had just built a new airport altogether instead of building a nuclear plant, things would have been very different today.

In the case of Changi, the government of Singapore had a lot of forsight. Rather than just building a new terminal at Paya Lebar, when the number of passengers breached the 4 million limit, they decided to build an entirely new airport even if it meant reclaming large areas. They had the forsight to have two parallel runways. And that is why they are ahead, although now they are facing stiff competition.

NEWS FLASH!!!! finally confirmation that the terminal will open in june!

Gov't prepares for NAIA Terminal 3 opening in June
04/14 10:45:45 AM

Barring further legal impediments, the national government is now preparing for the opening of the Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in June this year.

In a regular press briefing at Malacañang Wednesday, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita denied allegations that the government is planning to float 300 million US dollars to repay the Philippine International Air Terminal Company (PIATCO).

"No, the NAIA Terminal 3 is being prepared for its opening in June. I would say there is no truth (to the allegations), but as you know, the government figure on NAIA-3 is 300 million dollars and the idea is, we are looking for ways and means to be able to compensate fairly," Ermita said.

Aside from PIATCO, the other members of the consortium which needs to be compensated are Fraport, Takinaka and other smaller shareholders.

Ermita said the policy group and the Solicitor General’s office are now looking into the aspect of whether "there is anything that could prevent us from having it opened in June."

The Solicitor General is in-charge on the litigation aspect on the case filed by PIATCO and its consortium against the Philippine government with regard to the construction of NAIA Terminal 3.

Three cases have been filed by PIATCO against the Philippine government. Fraport has filed one in the international arbitration court in Washington, D.C., another is now pending in Singapore and a third is now being litigated in the country.

"So these are the things that are being attended to by our legal panel and if there are no legal impediments, we would definitely open in June," Ermita said.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) have already assured Malacañang that the NAIA Terminal 3 will be opened as soon as there is no more legal obstacle that can prevent them from doing so.

yay!! haha!! but even if everything in the legal part of it works out, we're still not sure if the airlines will cooperate to work to make sure they will be able to transfer by then. I wonder if the MIAA is already done with everything it has to do...

:okay: we're getting there finally...

the government is ready but the airlines ba ready na rin from the looks at it theyre still heistant to move because of , lease contract, legal issues, jst wondering whether the government will open the terminal without the airlines, quite a funny situation

This is what I admire about the singapore government...they have alot of foresight...our government doesnt have...Even building roads in our country, they only cater for what is needed at the moment, not even considering that eventually that town or city is gonna grow. Here in sg they will always build roads with enough widening space for future expansion...

Even our LRT/MRT system...they just built coz theres too much traffic already. But they never built it in anticipation of things to come...

Hmmm...Same thing as our airports...Building NAIA3 is good but there are better solutions...personally...NAIA right smack in the middle of the metros is one bad idea...it should be somewhere far from the metro area...like clark, this airport facility can accomodate bigger future expansion compared to NAIA...they even needed to flatten down Nayong Filipino just to build it....

^ that's what one of our bosses (Singaporean) told us during our dinner last March. di na kami (mga pinoys) umimik masyado para wala ng mahabang discussion. wala naman cya sasabihing maganda about Phils. :sleepy:

^ that's what one of our bosses (Singaporean) told us during our dinner last March. di na kami (mga pinoys) umimik masyado para wala ng mahabang discussion. wala naman cya sasabihing maganda about Phils. :sleepy:

Sad, but true.... :(

nice new pics at naia... siguro pipilitin ng gobyerno na buksan ang naia3 for the sake of opening lang. period.


^ that's what one of our bosses (Singaporean) told us during our dinner last March. di na kami (mga pinoys) umimik masyado para wala ng mahabang discussion. wala naman cya sasabihing maganda about Phils. :sleepy:

actually, tama naman sila... walang talaga silang sasabihing maganda kasi isa lang ang alam nilang tama... pero i guess hindi naman limited sa singaporeans, maybe a lot of other nationalities think the same (even us pinoys).

T3's exteriors looks kind of drab and boring, without parked planes it looks more like a shopping mall. But the interiors is really beautiful and you can really tell that it's a world class airport terminal.


precisely... i actually like the idea na di gaanong attractive sa labas... whats more important maayos ang loob.

nice pic... I agree about the exteriors it's not that attractive but it's pretty decent.
anyway it's the interiors that matters most.

It's very generic compared to NAIA1's lobby grandeur, but it's big and spacious, we should be grateful rather than remorseful.

It's all in the hands of TAKENAKA. I hope they will join with the side of the RP gov't because they will benefit more with RP than PIATCO.

NEWS:
WITH only 68 days to go before the scheduled June 21 opening of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, the country's airport authority is apparently facing major roadblocks to attain the deadline.

Airport chief Alfonso Cusi said yesterday the government has yet to obtain operational documents to enable it to run the state-of-the-art airport facility.

Cusi, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), told the Inquirer in a phone interview that his office was still waiting word from Takenaka Corp., the Japanese contractor that constructed the terminal, if it could be on board with the government for the NAIA-3 opening.

"We want to settle the issue once and for all," Cusi said.

the exterior of NAIA 3 isn't that bad. in fact, it looks a lot like the Tom Bradley International Terminal in Los Angeles. Its just different from the Airports being built today in other countries. It doesnt really give you much view of whats outside once inside the tarmac. In fact, let me just post the entire article here. It is from the March 2004 edition of the said magazine. Heheh. i still keep it in its original plastic para ma preserve. hehehe. just in case matagal tagal pa bago natin makita ang terminal 3 firsthand. hahahahah


Terminal Anticipation
By: Bronne Dytoc

And I thought Megamall was big.

Naia 3, third of a series, lives large. Over a kilometer long, with a floor area of over 18 hectares, it is designed to accommodate an estimated 12 million passengers a year (33,000 per day) that present terminals are ill-equipped to handle.

Terminal 1 is a holdover from the past, marked by moody air conditioning, limited duty free shops, few baggage carousels, and
restrictions that curtail the Filipino tradition of seeing relatives off. It was inadequate within a few years of its
opening. Terminal 2 is much better. Used exclusively for Philippine Airlines, the white terminal affords generous areas for
hellos and goodbyes, a nicely lit interior, and visual connection to the tarmac. Duty free shops are still few and the
immigration counters are inadequate; manly because the terminal was meant solely as a replacement to the aging domestic
terminal nearby.

How does Terminal 3 fare? Without doubt, it has far more check-in counters, more gates and enormous areas for shops and
services. It allows space for farewells, with an upper mezzanine level offering views into the duty free mall area and
departure gates. This visual connection is personally significant; I remember enjoying the roof deck of the original Manila
International Airport. The screaming engines did not bother me, and the aroma of jet fuel only added to the experience as
witness to the wonder of modern flight.

New international airports elsewhere (Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Amsterdam, etc) understand the romantic aspect of air travel.
While complex activities in them invariably result in a large organism, these new examples make a point of including a sense
of bearing, orientation, and scale to a traveler's experience. The actual distance from check-in to departure may not be
short, but the experience of "mall streets", visual variety, proper signage, and windows to the runways add greatly to the
transit experience.

How can one tell if an airport works in this manner? One way is by noticing how the eye has something to latch on to along
the path, making the steps less tedious. But the sure-fire way is when I never feel like saying "Are we there yet?" Hong
Kongs new Chep Lak Kok Airport does that well, as does the Amsterdam facility. Even NAIA 2 gives this pleasant spatial
experience. NAIA 3 does not. True, it is not up and running, nevertheless, having toured its spaces as a passenger would, I
must say it feels like an American airport (with similarities to the international terminals of Los Angeles and San
Francisco). Pity, there is no cultural distinctiveness.

The firm Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill conceptualized the design. In its website, the entry for NAIA 3 has a sole comment on
responding to the harsh Philippine climate stating that it "...shelter(s) the departure curbside area with an extensive
canopy...It gives a sense of unity to the entire complex, providing shade and weather protection for passengers and visitors
on a year-round basis." The statement is as disappointing as the reality. For one thing, does it imply that without the
canopy, the complex loses the "sense of unity"? Secondly, the actual canopy is not all-encompassing - passengers alighting
from the outer curb must cross the road unsheltered through green-glazed doors. This glaze has unfortunately hidden the
dynamic form of the interior V columns. Clad in gray, this and the rest of the interiors do not match the litheness of
Terminal 2. The interior halls also cut possible views into the other areas, heightening the feeling of enclosure.

The check-in hall is quite large but not bright. Skylight strips and clerestories allow light to enter into the massive
space, except the color palette of the interiors do not support light diffusion well. Nor is there the smart use of dropped
reflectors (as in Hong Kong) to bounce illumination from the skylights and clerestories onto the undersides of the roof.

As one proceeds through immigration and duty-free spaces, the feeling of moving through a series of distinct enclosures
pervades. This may be connected again to the disallowance of views and discontinuity of space. The smaller Terminal 2 with
its visual penetration across spaces, and the ultra-huge Chep Lak Kok Airport with its high ceilings do not have this effect.
A sense of impatience builds up (again reminiscent of American airports), and is only relieved at the departure gates with
its liberating views. The departure exits link directly to the main axis of the terminals body. This makes for a very long
walk, but fortunately there are walkalators. Y or W shaped finger extensions could have offered more gates and views, while
improving efficiency.

One hopes the signage is reevaluated for font sizes, as well as the use of a systematic color system. At present, the text is
readably at ten feet, but not at twenty; and the overall signs lack visual presence. With the predictable chaos of visual stimuli that will come with the busy activity these signs may be drowned out.

The NAIA 3 has yet to open. All of its commercial spaces wait to be occupied. Banners and ads have yet to fill up empty
walls, and actual people have yet to flow through it. Only then will we be able to experience and evaluate it fully. A final
reference to color - it was mentioned that the yellow tone used for the check-in and immigration counters was selected to
connect to the Philippine flags colors. That may be the terminals only reference to Filipino identity. This color also means
"wait". At this junction the whole country is waiting for this much-needed facility to finally start operations.



NAIA Terminal 3

FACTS & GLANCE

STRUCTURE

63.5-hectare terminal site in Villamor Air Base
182,500 square meters total floor area of terminal building
1.1-kilometer terminal span from north to south end
2,000-acr covered multi-level parking building the south end
1,200-acr outdoor parking area
4-level shopping mall connecting the terminal & parking building

DESIGN CAPACITY

13 million passengers annually
33,000 passengers peak-day capacity or
6,000 passengers peak-hour capacity (incoming & outgoing)
4,000 passengers peak-hour capacity (one way)

TERMINAL

147,400 square meters of apron area
34 air bridges
20 contact gates ote gates
28 plane serviced at any given time
70 flight info terminals
314 display monitors
300 kilometers of fiber optic I.T. cabling
29 restroom blocks

DEPARTURE

5 access to departure hall, all equipped with x-ray machines
140 fully automated check-in counters on 5 islands
Each counter with state-of-the-art baggage screening conveyors
8 terminal fee booths
50 departure immigration counters
18 X-ray machines at final security check

ARRIVAL

68 arrival immigration counters
40 customer counters
7 large baggage carousels, each with flight display monitor
Baggage breakdown area with state-of-the-art automated handling system

Thanks for the bit, Crazy4Airplanes!! BTW how much does it cost to lease some retail space in T3?

Do you think it's possible to add more gates to Terminal 3?

Thanks for that one:) Interesting insight, very easy to read, not full of jargon and stiffness. :D

^ I'm not too sure if that's possible if you mean constructing an extension, with the space available. Should NAIA3 get too small for Metro Manila, DMIA is waiting in the sidelines.

I agree with much of what Bronne (who is a teachs at the College of Architecture here in UP-Diliman) says about NAIA3. Nonetheless, the following mitigating factors should be taken into consideration.

At NAIA3, both inner and outter departure curbs have canopies over them. It is when you cross from the outter curb into the entrance that you get exposed to the elements. Hong Kong and the new Bangkok Airport also have this problem. KLIA does not have this problem because it only has a inner curb. I must admit it does a very good job of protecting cars arriving at both the departure and arrival curbs from the elements. However I find this makes the departure curb somewhat dark.

I also find that the choice of dark grey for the departure lobby ceiling is a bad one. However, I do remember that SOM was initially recommended a wood like material for the ceiling (very much like the one used for the ceiling at KLIA). This fact is stated in the November 10, 1997 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. May PIATCO/Fraport decided to substitute another material. What I find more alarming is that the ceiling is not yet finished, and it appears like there is no insulation in the cavity between the roof and the ceiling. I am assuming this because you can see the roofing material in some exposed areas.

The linear design of the terminal arises from the shape of the lot in relation to the existing apron and runway. I dont think it would have been possible to have a Y-shaped concourse. And even if this was possible, Y-shaped have both poor passenger flow and aircraft manueverability characteristics. Just look at NAIA1.

I do agree that most of the areas, except the "psuedo atrium" just after you get out of the security check, give you the feeling of enclosure due to the low ceilings and the concrete walls. The atrium area was supposed to have skylights, as shown in the scale model which used to be in the departure lobby of NAIA1. Maybe another cost cutting measure.

And also, the signage is not all that good, particularly the color schemes. I however did not have any problem with the size. Maybe Bronne should get a new pair of glasses.

SOM designed the new terminal at San Francisco airport, I guess that is the reason for the similarity. Maybe if NAIA3 was designed by Santiago Calatrava or Norman Foster (who happen to be amongs Bronne's favorite architects), maybe things would have been different.

While it maybe possible to add additional gates to NAIA3, I believe that rather that doing this, the government will just build another airport in Clark, as it offers more space so expension.

I agree. The government should just create a new airport terminal at Clark once NAIA becomes too congested in the future. And besides, it is the trend for countries nowadays to have their airports in remote areas; areas miles away from the busy metropolis to avoid any accidents and also to avoid what happened to Hongkong's old Kai Tak Airport where it became too congested with tall buildings that the pilots had to perform what they called the 13 approach every time they land on the airport.

btw guys, do you think that at NAIA 3, it will follow what is being done at NAIA 1 where each airline has one particular lounge? like for example Northwest with Worldclubs, Cathay with , and Singapore Airlines with the Silver Kris Lounge? Or will they just follow the system in some other airports where there is just one common VIP lounge for everybody and the airline would just enter into an agreement with that particular lounge to serve their VIPs? In my opinion, option 2 is cheaper for the airlines but the first option in my opinion is better as it will offer to the particular airline what they can really offer their customers.

I'm sure PAL (assuming it does move into NAIA-3) as well as other airlines like Cathay and JAL that have large services in MNL will put up their own lounges at terminal 3. Maybe Singapore will put up a lounge that it'll allow other Star Alliance members that serve MNL, like Thai, to use too. I hope to see really amazing lounges at terminal 3 though. especially from PAL, since it's int'l Mabuhay lounge at the Centennial Terminal is nice and new but not really anything special...

speaking of T1, I saw some of it on TV Patrol last night (cuz of this report about a couple actors leaving for shooting in Dubai) and, believe it or not, it actually looked pretty darn good!! haha!! I mean, nothing world class like T3 or Changi or anything, but definitely a huge improvement from the last time I used it last year! they only showed the departures landside though, mostly at check-in. everything looked a lot cleaner and more organized, and the new and working LED signs at each check-in counter was what was really surprising. when did they put those in? I'm guessing that was when they thought there was no hope of terminal 3 ever operating at all...

@docz - ummm, when was the last time you got to visit terminal 3? do you go there regularly? cause I was just wondering if they've fixed everything up and finished the last bit of construction yet since the you were there...

One major reason for going to clark is that a good airport must have two major runways, preferably parallel separted by a distance of 1 km or more. Changi, Bangkok, KLIA, Jakarta, (literally all major airports in SEA except us) as well as Hong Kong and Inchon have two runways. The rationale for this is so that you dont need to shut down the airport if the runway needs to be repaired.

Clark currently has two parallel runways, but both of the are 3000m long and adjacent to each other. There are plans of constructing a third runway which will be 4000m long and on the other side of the terminal complex. It may also be possible to extend the existing runways further to enable them to handle 747/A380's. Building the airport infrastructure alone would cost anywhere in the range of 2 to 3 Billion USD, but would easily gives as an airport that could easily rival BKK, HKG or any of the new airports in the region if properly planned.

One thing good about Clark is that the subsurface conditions are such that they result in to much cheaper foundation costs compared if a similar structure were to be built in places such as BKK/HKG/KIX where the use of a deep foundation system is needed. This could easily result in a cost of savings of 100M to 200M USD. The main problem with Clark is its distance, which is best addressed using a high speed train. It should be pointed out that the NorthRail is just an ordinary train travelling at speeds of 90 kph. Building such a system would easily add more than 1 Billion USD to the cost of the project, if you include the cost of the rail connection.

Regarding the airline lounges, it will largely dependent on economics - the advantage of having your own lounge which would allow you the option to offer services specific to your airline, versus the cost particularly where economy of scale comes in. If you were a major airline such as Philippine Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Northwest, etc that has a lot of business and first class passengers, then having a separate lounge might be better. However if you are an airline that has just a few flight into Manila contracting this service may be more cost effective.

As far as I know, there is just an open space designated for airport lounges, and airlines can just configure the space to meet their specifications. So maybe NAIA3 will have a combination of both.

I agree. The government should just create a new airport terminal at Clark once NAIA becomes too congested in the future. And besides, it is the trend for countries nowadays to have their airports in remote areas; areas miles away from the busy metropolis to avoid any accidents and also to avoid what happened to Hongkong's old Kai Tak Airport where it became too congested with tall buildings that the pilots had to perform what they called the 13 approach every time they land on the airport.

The 13 Approach caught on film. :)
http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/Boeing%20747%20Extreme%20Landing.mpg

@docz, I've heard these Clark runways, being built and maintained by USAF during the Cold-war era, are capable to catering to Space Shuttles. What's your take on that?

I'm sorry for butting in with this piece of bad news:

New hitches seen in NAIA-3 opening
By Rainier Allan Ronda
The Philippine Star 04/17/2005

Some new hitches could delay the opening of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) in June.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said yesterday it is re-evaluating its position on meeting the June 21 target date for the opening of the controversial NAIA 3 after it met with some delays in coming to agreement with the Japanese contractor that built the terminal.

MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi said the Takenaka Corp., which had been contracted to build NAIA-3 by the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco) consortium, sought revisions to the agreement the government is trying to forge with it. The government is trying to gain Takenaka Corp.’s cooperation in opening the new terminal.

"They asked for an extension," Cusi told The STAR in a telephone interview. "They asked for a revision of the agreement because there were some provisions they wanted to clarify."

Cusi said Takenaka Corp. is only seeking minor revisions in its agreement with the government, adding that the revisions the Japanese contractor is seeking are "not about money."

He said the MIAA must discuss these revisions sought by Takenaka Corp., adding that they are "now meeting to discuss" the matter.

Because of this development, the MIAA is reassessing its position on the scheduled opening of the new terminal on June 21, Cusi said

I hope it will only take few days or 2 weeks the most since the Takenaka Group is only asking for a minor revisions, but it still frustrating for it has been delayed over and over again. Goodness do people in power ever do due diligence. ( Just my observation)

@docz, I've heard these Clark runways, being built and maintained by USAF during the Cold-war era, are capable to catering to Space Shuttles. What's your take on that?

The fact that a space shuttle can land at clark does not necessarily mean you can also land a 747-400, or a A380. Aside from runway length, width and geometric design, there is also the issue of the pavement strength. It could very well be that a space shuttle requires a high pavement strength, as compared to a 747-400, becasue of the number of wheels it has in propotion to its total weight. Maybe this is why Clark airport is one of the few airports that can accomodate a space. This would be helpful if there were space shuttles that land intend to land at Clark, but I am not aware of any.

You can download documents in the webpages of Boeing and Airbus which describe the specifcations for design facilites. These documents also have describe the standard procedures for calculating the length of runway required for a given air temperature and gross weight. On the average a 747-400 would require a runway somewhere in the range of 3500 meters.

I assume that a space shuttle is smaller than a 747 because a 747 can carry a space shuttle. Consequently the mass of a space shuttle must be less than a 747, and most likely may require a smaller length of runway.

I hope it will only take few days or 2 weeks the most since the Takenaka Group is only asking for a minor revisions, but it still frustrating for it has been delayed over and over again. Goodness do people in power ever do due diligence. ( Just my observation)

Sadly but true, even though we're all so excited and confident about this, this was bound to happen. This is a common kind of cycle that takes place in a country like the Philippines, and it's so true to the fact that people expect this to happen during the path taken.

I don't know. But hopefully this will all be sorted out and the NAIA 3 will open ON JUNE 21, 2005. :)

i hope those minor revisions can be sorted out immediately, if takenaka group refused to go on board, the opening of the terminal is in doubt

:speech:

P120-M road-link project for NAIA 3


By JONATHAN M. HICAP, The Manila Times Reporter

The Manila International Airport Authority has started the construction of a P120-million surface road that will link the airport Terminals 2 and 3.

Florencio Montalbo Jr., Ninoy Aquino International Airport 3 project manager, said the connecting road is a vital component of the unused NAIA 3, which will be inaugurated on June 21.

The MIAA is rushing the construction of additional facilities of NAIA 3 to ensure that no major problems occur when President Arroyo opens the facility.

In addition, Montalbo said a cargo terminal and a tunnel will be built to facilitate the transfer of cargoes from NAIA 2 to NAIA 3.

MIAA has already issued a reservation agreement to all international airlines for their transfer to NAIA 3.

Montalbo said MIAA may allow Philippine Airlines to have its international and domestic-flight operations at NAIA 3 but an additional facility will have to be built.

He said since PAL is the national flag carrier, MIAA may give in to its request. He said the need for PAL’s integrated operations is mandated under the airline’s financial-rehabilitation plan.

PAL welcomed MIAA’s decision, saying it would be economically viable for the airline, which is under receivership.

A PAL official said the airport authority’s move is similar in other countries where flag carriers have their own terminal, where domestic and international flights operate.

source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=2949

So they are building

Cargo Terminal
Tunnel
might build Added on Facilities for PAL
a new road

I guess This is what the Reminder of the $300 million loan.. Pay off PIATCO/FRAPORT use the rest to upgrade facilities

Awesome maybe This will mean we will be the next "Changi"

prison? hehe :D

seriously.. these are good developments. Hope the government keeps it up! AND MOVING!

prison? hehe :D

seriously.. these are good developments. Hope the government keeps it up! AND MOVING!

A student of mine who had the opportunity to deal with Takenaka work involving the NAIA3 roadways tells me that through the subcontractors, Takenaka tried to pass off substandard/defective work just in order to meet the construction schedule needed to meet the Nov 23 2002 soft opening. His guess (and let me emphasize that this is just a guess/speculation) is that Takenaka might cooperate with the government in exchange for not being sued by the government. I think this is an issue that affects how the various parties involved will be compensate by the government, and also could affect if the structure will get a clearance if all these things come to light.

sustandard and defective works were issues that were already been proven and found by the government that is why works are on the way to rectify these defects, as to the issue that takenaka is willing to go on board with the condition that they wont be held accountable for these defects and sued by the government, the government might be willing to take these defects on the issue of compensation, in exchange of tehir cooperation the government might be willing to compromise and drop the company as a party n the suit????

Awesome maybe This will mean we will be the next "Changi"
Lets hope and pray that this would go through so we can actually enjoy another "Changi." :D

Lets hope and pray that this would go through so we can actually enjoy another "Changi." :D

Speaking of Changi, it doesn't look spectacular outside (at least the existing T1 and T2; T3 seems a bit different), but inside it's quite beautiful. I do hope NAIA T3 will have interior gardens too.:)

So does NAIA plan to ferry passengers by bus between the two terminals? Since the road is a surface road, then the shuttles would have to go around the secondary runway, right?

:speech:

P120-M road-link project for NAIA 3


By JONATHAN M. HICAP, The Manila Times Reporter

The Manila International Airport Authority has started the construction of a P120-million surface road that will link the airport Terminals 2 and 3.

Florencio Montalbo Jr., Ninoy Aquino International Airport 3 project manager, said the connecting road is a vital component of the unused NAIA 3, which will be inaugurated on June 21.

The MIAA is rushing the construction of additional facilities of NAIA 3 to ensure that no major problems occur when President Arroyo opens the facility.
.
.
.

Looks like it. I guess it's the fastest and cheapest way, as the others were closing the secondary runway for a tunnel connection or a monorail.

It says in that article that they will build the tunnel. I thought they cancelled it? So is that only for cargo or will the monorail be included?

Gov't likely to defer June opening of NAIA 3

"Cusi said the MIAA had started construction of a P200-million access road that would link the NAIA 1 and 2 terminals with NAIA 3 and the road is expected to be completed by June."

[SIZE=2]so, is it a tunnel or road that goes around in these terminals or what. i beleive they shud just make its own rail and it wudnt been much better like the rest of the new airportx or terminals that are being built around the world. i also hope that they connect this road to the new mrt theyre extending to the naia spot. pls if they have established it cud someone take a pics and post it. thanks plsssss

Gov't likely to defer June opening of NAIA 3

"Cusi said the MIAA had started construction of a P200-million access road that would link the NAIA 1 and 2 terminals with NAIA 3 and the road is expected to be completed by June."

[SIZE=2]so, is it a tunnel or road that goes around in these terminals or what. i beleive they shud just make its own rail and it wudnt been much better like the rest of the new airportx or terminals that are being built around the world. i also hope that they connect this road to the new mrt theyre extending to the naia spot. pls if they have established it cud someone take a pics and post it. thanks plsssss

tunnel=for cargo
surface road=passengers

at least that's how i understood the article.

Gov't likely to defer June opening of NAIA 3
INQ7Money | Clarissa S. Batino | Apr. 21, 2005

THE government is likely to defer the start of commercial operations of Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from June 21 because of to legal hitches with Japanese contractor Takenaka International Corp.

Alfonso Cusi, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), said Wednesday the original timetable would have to be pushed back if the issues with Takenaka were not addressed soon.

"We will make a final decision by the first week of May as to whether or not to operate NAIA 3 in June," Cusi said in an Inquirer interview. "There could be some delay but it should not be considerable."

The goal is to open up the new airport facility in the second half of the year, he said.

Takenaka built the NAIA 3 for contractor Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (PIATCo), a Philippine-German-Japanese consortium. The government took the property over in December and promised to operate it in six months.

"Takenaka has yet to turn over the plan of the facility to us," Cusi said. "Without it, we could not ensure the structural integrity of the building. This is the only thing preventing us from opening NAIA 3 in June."

Cusi said the MIAA had started construction of a P200-million access road that would link the NAIA 1 and 2 terminals with NAIA 3 and the road is expected to be completed by June.

He said major airlines had committed to transfer to NAIA 3 once it became operational.

He said even Philippine Airlines, which uses NAIA 2 exclusively, had agreed in principle to move to NAIA 3, although PAL officials have been insisting that the company would not transfer if the MIAA would increase fees.

"Better ask PAL," Cusi said in the interview. "There are airlines that already signed up with us."

Inquirer sources said the MIAA was trying to raise $300 million as compensation to PIATCo. After the payment, the Japanese contractor hired by PIATCo is expected to turn over the NAIA 3 to the MIAA.

Cusi said the MIAA would complete its $300-million borrowing this month or in early May. He said the MIAA insisted that proceeds of the borrowing go to "general financing requirements."

PIATCo and its German partner Fraport AG are pressing for compensation from the government, especially after the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, which nullified PIATCo's contract, decided to take the NAIA 3 over.

The Department of Transportation and Communication said it would help the Arroyo administration determine the appropriate amount to pay PIATCo.

Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the department "recognizes the right of PIATCo for just compensation and will do so after a competent court has determined its real value."

PIATCo is 60-percent owned by the Cheng family, 30 percent by Fraport, and 10 percent by Nisho Iwai Corp. of Japan. With INQ7.net
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
that's the full article... I really hope they are able to open as scheduled. can't the gov't use the law to "expropriate" (haha) the plans from Takenaka??

umm, I just have a question. if PAL were to move its domestic and international operations to terminal 3 along with all the international operations of other foreign and local carriers, then around how much of the terminal's 13,000,000 people /year max capacity would that be?

btw, I hope those brats behind PAL management will at least pay for the added facilities the airport authority will have to set up to make domestic operations at T3 workable...

My understanding from my sources is that the surface road is being built in order to get T3 operational within the second half of 2005. After this is done, then there will be no immediate hurry to build the tunnel. The tunnel can handle both passengers and cargo.

I dont believe that 13-31 will necessarily have to be closed down temporarily in order to construct the tunnel. There is a lot of construction technology available now that allows simultaneous construction and operation of the runway, particularly in this case where the largest aircraft used is a 757.

The comment that Takenaka does not want to turn over the plans only fuels more speculation that there are indeed structural defects in the terminal or facilties. I think the plans that are referred to are the "as build plans". Contrary to what was written earlier, my sources are not aware of any retrofitting work being undertaken in order to address structural defects in any of the existing structures.

i really dont know what to say and i dont wanna be pessimistic about this big elephant airport. But, im completely sure and beleive that it's not gonna open this june 21 . it didnt open when i was supposed to be landin' to that new airport (dec 15 2002) let alone this comin' june 21 where untanggle problem and never ending legal problem. oh yeah, how can they do it w/in a month and a half! remember this is 2005 and terrorism paranoia are widely known. the country is also having trouble with the budget and home security. commmmn' now be logical, this airport is not gonna open this june 21. the government should instead start focusing in that rotting old airport we have. then let piatco or fraport demolished that airport. let them have fun burning their money. the filipinos i reckon had it. then, let the government borrow money form the tan's family and allow them to build a magnificous airport in the world. like what theyre trying to build a mall in every block of the manila. meanwhile, let just look at this airport, and dream a little dream.

Japanese contractor causes delay in NAIA 3 opening

THE opening of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 may be delayed as the Japanese contractor which built the facility has yet to agree to come on board to help airport authorities check the systems.

The smooth opening of NAIA 3 hinges on the cooperation of Takenaka Corp., the company hired by the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. to build the massive facility. The Manila International Airport Authority is wooing Take*naka to provide the operational codes needed to run the systems. Besides Piatco, Takenaka is also claiming just compensation of at least $100 million from the government for work done on NAIA 3.

The Supreme Court is reviewing the expropriation case, which was filed after the government took over the airport in December last year. Two arbitration cases filed by Piatco against the government are also pending in international courts.

what a shame on the philippines. again and again great projects are stranded because of some unnecessary irregularities. (not only this one, i.e. what happened to the mindanao container terminal? why do projects like the expressways north and south, rail projects to clark, davao inter. airport etc. always take years and years to accomplish?) the international business world is on alert and big investors are staying away. i would not invest either, following all the promisses made that just aren´t kept. the philippine businessman is not taken seriously, because he does not stick to his contracts, he is not reliable. i´m sorry to say that, but it´s the plain truth. what a shame. corruption has to be done away with in this country at last! why else is the philippines tagging behind all the other tiger-nations in SEA ?
if they would have opened T3 two years ago, they would have had more airlines, more tourists, more businessmen comming in from all over the world. it would have been good for everyone, but mostly for the reputation of this wonderfull people and country. what a loss, what a shame for the filipino people.

what a shame on the philippines. again and again great projects are stranded because of some unnecessary irregularities. (not only this one, i.e. what happened to the mindanao container terminal? why do projects like the expressways north and south, rail projects to clark, davao inter. airport etc. always take years and years to accomplish?) the international business world is on alert and big investors are staying away. i would not invest either, following all the promisses made that just aren´t kept. the philippine businessman is not taken seriously, because he does not stick to his contracts, he is not reliable. i´m sorry to say that, but it´s the plain truth. what a shame. corruption has to be done away with in this country at last! why else is the philippines tagging behind all the other tiger-nations in SEA ?
if they would have opened T3 two years ago, they would have had more airlines, more tourists, more businessmen comming in from all over the world. it would have been good for everyone, but mostly for the reputation of this wonderfull people and country. what a loss, what a shame for the filipino people.

You are partially incorrect. Any decent government in the world will not honor contracts with irregularities or investor bribing gov't officials. It is a fact that we need a foreign investment to pour in our country but we our not desperate enough to allow the irregularities that is being committed by the investors. Most investors don't even care to the well being of our citizens and the government just want to make sure that all contracts will not be disadvantageous to the Republic. We only want the investors who will invest in the philippines and who will abide our laws. In the case of NAIA 3 any foreign investors are not allowed to have more than 50% share on the Facility and that is the law in the Philippines. PIATCO don't have the financial capability to invest in such huge project. So what they did was they sell the majority of their share to Fraport so overall Fraport is the Majority owner of PIATCO. Base also in the contract the government is not allowed to build/operate another premiere International Airport for 20years or so. But the government already had plan to develop the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport. We deserve a new terminal in manila airport but we don't deserve FRAPORT as an investor in our country who don't even follow our laws. NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW. If FRAPORT just follows the laws of the Republic of the Philippines this thing could not had happened even if the Government Administration changes. If foreign investor thinks that they are above our law it is better for them to invest their money in other countries...if they feel that they don't deserve the treatment they encountered in the Philippines it is safe to say that we dont deserve them also.....

How can we eliminate graft and corruption in our country if some investors keep on bribing some government official.

yeah. any decent government in the world would not honor falacious contracts. i agree on that. but i also believe that these decent governnments (the philippines excluded) would've been able to open the terminal since the case has been going on for two years. 730 days and counting i think are more than enough to resolve controversies like this one. In fact, in countries other than the Philippines, they are able to handle much more complicated stuff than the NAIA 3 fiasco and they are able to resolve them quickly.

Haaayy.....There goes our dreams of NAIA 3 again. I guess instead of dreaming of having a sprkling new terminal for me to use this july when i go to the States, i'd have to bring out my lucky charms and wish that when i use terminal 1, the toilet would flush and that there is running water.

yeah. any decent government in the world would not honor falacious contracts. i agree on that. but i also believe that these decent governnments (the philippines excluded) would've been able to open the terminal since the case has been going on for two years. 730 days and counting i think are more than enough to resolve controversies like this one. In fact, in countries other than the Philippines, they are able to handle much more complicated stuff than the NAIA 3 fiasco and they are able to resolve them quickly.

Haaayy.....There goes our dreams of NAIA 3 again. I guess instead of dreaming of having a sprkling new terminal for me to use this july when i go to the States, i'd have to bring out my lucky charms and wish that when i use terminal 1, the toilet would flush and that there is running water.

But the problem is not our government. In fact our government are the one who is very eager to open this terminal. It is the PIATCO who is taking the facility hostage. Eventhough they are the culprits they still protected by our laws. There is also due process that needs to be follow. Base on the Court Ruling the Government cannot act as it owns the facility not unless Investors are given just compensation. Without Just Compensation Technically PIATCO is still the owner of the facility. The government did not created this law (Congress created this) and let us all be thankful that our government is following the law. Do you want our government to be like a Marcos government where they can take over any private business and facility whichever whenever they want without following due process.

But at the moment only TAKENAKA is the one needed to make the facility operational. And here is the dilemma, If TAKENAKA cooperate with the phil. gov't they will going to have a problem with PIATCO. But the republic is more powerful than PIATCO and let's just hope that takenaka will realize that they will benefit more if they co-operate with the government than to be a hostage of PIATCO.

im proud that our government voided illegal contracts like the one piatco and fraport entered into with during the corrupt adminsitration of estrada, this is a stern warning to all ivestors foreign or domestic alike that the admintration of arroyo will not tolerate corruption and make a mockery of our laws, all foreign investors are welcome to invest in our country in fact we need them to sustain our economic development but they should play the game fairly, squarely and within the laws of our country. they thought that by inserting and amending the naia contracts during the term of the estrada to their advantage they can get a way from it, crime does not pay and lets all support our governments efforts to wipe out corruption in our country

i aggree to most of all of your arguments, as i don´t have the possibily to follow the process contunuesly from over here in germany. i aggree that it is time to wipe out people like marcos, estrada & co. i am very glad that your president is making the effort to change a couple of things that have been "as usual" conserning corruption&business. i am very proud that her brother mr. macapagal was my classmate in la salle some 40 years ago. if there is anything i can do to help the philippines prosper, i will do it. this country is my birth place. it has sheltered me the first 12 years of my life. as a photographer, living in europe, i have in fact worked to help the phil. gevernment (PATA; BOT) some 13 yeras ago to promote the beauty of it´s stunning places in germany. again i would like to repeat that if they invite me over to do it again. i am in favor of the phil. my heart belongs to this marvelous country. and i am proud, although the press over here is mostly very bad when it comes to report about the country, that i lived there. let us wish that hopefully very soon terminal 3 will at last be opened to the public to welcome foreigners in a decent manner. but still i cannot understand that toilets do not work, no matter how old a terminal may seem. there is a saying : on behalf of sanitary installations and their keep-up you may judge the culture of a people. so what is the problem ? how can the MAIA allow this to happen ? again what a shame.....

is the t-3 website up yet?

:runaway:

whats the URL for that site?!

:runaway:
dont worry it wont open this june 21

eva, china, korean, and northwest agreed to move to t3, pal hasnt submitted if theyre gonna move yet. takenaka is afraid to help our government because gma hasnt pay even one centavo to the piatco & co. this airport is doomed to hell!!!! they should just demolished it and claim the davao airport to be the new naia. :eek2:

Unfortunately that would not solve the problem, in fact in makes things worse.
Demolishing t3 or burning t1 would cost more, its like suicide...burning investments.
The best thing to do is to kill all people of PIATCO, assasinate the CEOs of the german and japanese companies, and close t1 to force all airlines to transfer to t3.

There should be a mass "promotion" that if the NAIA terminal 3 were not to open on June 21, then tourists (and Filipino tourists) should head straight to CEBU CITY!!!!

now were having radical and desperate solutions here

now were having radical and desperate solutions here
Has purging PIATCo headquarters been recommended yet? ;)

Has purging PIATCo headquarters been recommended yet? ;)

someone said to win the case first lets kill all the lawyers

Looks like it has come to "desperate times calls for desperate measures." :( But violence and deadly force doesn't solve anything in the long run. :down:

Here's an online article about the four carriers making the move to T3. :)


Four airlines agree to transfer to NAIA T3

Only four of 30 international airlines have signed the reservation agreement for their transfer to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 as other factors threaten to delay the opening of the facility by June.

General Manager Alfonso Cusi of the Manila International Airport Authority identified the airlines as Northwest Airlines, Korean Airlines, Eva Air and China Airlines. The government and the airlines signed an agreement was issued to airlines instead of a lease contract to avoid a lawsuit from the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc., which had threatened to bring the airlines and MIAA to court.

Airlines had asked for a formal contract from the MIAA, saying it was legally binding unlike a reservation agreement. But the Office of the Solicitor General advised MIAA against issuing the lease contract as the expropriation case is pending with the Supreme Court.

Cusi said the MIAA had also sent on Saturday a revised agreement to NAIA 3 builder Takenaka Corp. on the operation of the new airport.

He said Takenaka, which holds the operational codes needed to run the systems at NAIA 3, had requested for revisions of certain provisions of the agreement.

Cusi said the agreement consists of legal matters regarding the expropriation case. Piatco earlier said Takenaka was still under contract with the company, hence the latter could not enter into any agreement with MIAA.

MIAA has been trying to convince Takenaka to go on board and help ensure the smooth flow of operations at NAIA 3. Cusi said if Takenaka refuses to help, MIAA would have no choice but to defer the opening of the terminal later than June 21, the scheduled date of inauguration.

He said MIAA has not finished inspecting the structural integrity of NAIA 3. They have decided to extend its runway to make NAIA 3 viable. Runway 13/31 will be extended from its current length of 1,998 meters to give aircraft more room to maneuver.

Here's an article about T1. :)

If you think April's hot, then watch out for May
By Blanche Rivera, Nikko Dizon | Inquirer News Service | April 27, 2005

Summer in the airport

This is scorching news for passengers and people working at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) because the heat inside the airport terminal building has become unbearable, no thanks to a 20-year-old air-conditioning system that can no longer keep up with the rising mercury.

A Filipino tourist checking in for her 2 p.m. flight to Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday described the feeling as "torture."

"I think the air-con is not proportionate to the volume of people [here]. Is there a move to improve facilities?" she asked the Inquirer.

Aging air-con

An airline official who has worked at the NAIA for nearly two decades said in a separate interview that the situation was nothing new.

"It's been like this every summer for the last 18 years I have been working here. When it's summer outside, it's also summer inside the building. When it's December, it's also cool in here," he said.

The Inquirer tried but failed to reach the airport authority's assistant general manager for engineering, Elpidio Mendoza, who sent word that he was in a meeting.

Another ranking official sought by the Inquirer for comment admitted that the cooling system of the airport building was rather old and should be replaced.

"This building and its facilities are more than 20 years old. We should be replacing a lot of things here," the official said.

The NAIA was built in the late '70s and was then considered one of the best in Asia. Through the years it has lagged behind the international airports of its neighboring countries

Well let's just have hope and be positive about this. But I'm so RELIEVED that the MIAA website is finally up and running again and VERY redone and improved! Now they just need an official domain web address name!

Well let's just have hope and be positive about this. But I'm so RELIEVED that the MIAA website is finally up and running again and VERY redone and improved! Now they just need an official domain web address name!
Indeed...though I liked the original Terminal 3 site they had before...just wish they could've revived that one again...:(

ATTENTION EVERYONE!

It’s final: No June 21 opening for NAIA-3
By Rainier Allan Ronda
The Philippine Star 04/29/2005

It’s final: There will be no June 21 opening for the controversial Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3), officials said yesterday.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) made this announcement to officials of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as well as to the executives and station managers of different international airlines operating at NAIA Terminal 1.

The Airline Operators Council (AOC) and the Board of Airline Representatives (BAR) expressed hope that the announcement would result in a more realistic timeframe for the government to open the long-mothballed NAIA Terminal 3 and make the facility fully operational.

"We’re happy with that (decision)," said AOC official Santiago Medrana III. "Now we can have a more realistic schedule for the opening."

The announcement was made by MIAA assistant general manager Florencio Montalbo, who was earlier tasked to handle the agency’s preparations for the terminal’s opening in June. Montalbo’s announcement was later confirmed by MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi.

The MIAA said it will announce the terminal’s new opening date sometime in May.

Yesterday, the MIAA began a two-day consultative briefing to update the three airline groups on the government’s master plan for Terminal 3 and, in particular, familiarize the influential IATA on plans to sustain the facility and the agency’s role in the aviation sector.

"We have invited IATA and our colleagues in the aviation industry so we could share (with them) this master plan... which represents the dreams and aspirations of the (MIAA) over the long term," Cusi said in a statement.

The BAR and AOC earlier said the government’s target date of June 21 to open the terminal was "unrealistic" given that the airlines had to take care of so many details involved in transferring from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3.

Last Monday, Liwayway Vinzons-Chato, lawyer and spokeswoman for the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco), predicted it was unlikely the government would open the facility by June 21.

Piatco — the consortium that built the new terminal — is locked in a legal tug-of-war with the government, which expropriated the terminal from the consortium in December following a court order.

It would be better for the government to wait for the Pasay City regional trial court to rule on Piatco’s motion for reconsideration contesting the expropriation order, Chato had said.

A Japanese construction firm, Takenaka Corp., which did work on the terminal for Piatco and is now being hired by the government, balked at signing a contract because of possible legal consequences.

"We will sue Takenaka if it forges a contract with the government because that would obviously be a violation of the temporary restraining order of the Supreme Court on the expropriation case," Chato said.

"And the contract was between Piatco and Takenaka, not between the government and Takenaka," she added.

Further, the government has not been fully trained to operate the facility and will require technical help to fully check the terminal’s systems. Only Takenaka can provide the operational codes needed to run the systems, Chato said.

Piatco had earlier warned airlines of legal action if they signed lease contracts with the government before the expropriation process is completed and just compensation paid to Piatco.

In December, Pasay City regional trial court Judge Henrick Gingoyon granted the government’s petition to expropriate the terminal following a Supreme Court ruling that nullified Piatco’s government contract to build the terminal.

However, Gingoyon also ordered the government to pay an initial $62 million in compensation to Piatco and likewise barred it from exercising "acts of ownership" over the terminal until the expropriation process was completed.

That prompted the government to ask the Supreme Court to order Gingoyon to inhibit himself from the expropriation case.

Aside from the expropriation case, there are also two arbitration cases filed by Piatco against the government pending before separate international arbitration panels.

Piatco had earlier offered the government a compromise settlement that would allow the consortium to run the facility but this was turned down.

The new terminal was completed in 2002 but its opening was delayed by a squabble between Piatco and its German partner, giant airport operator Fraport AG.

The facility was further delayed that year when President Arroyo abrogated Piatco’s contract for the terminal, citing anomalies.

In 2003, the Supreme Court nullified the contract, saying Piatco was not qualified to bid for it and that one-sided provisions in its favor were inserted after the contract was signed.


it will never open. total idiots.

oh my more delays!!!!!

:eek: :cry: OMG...more delays, when will they open it then? There goes my chances of using it this summer:(

Help! I'm running out of air! I've held my breath hoping that T3 will open in June! :lol:

gah. this is really frustrating. there goes my hopes of using this airport this year.

anyway, when do you guys predict the "realistic" opening of this airport?

It will probably open in mid-2006. The earliest (and I'm being generous) would be before the SEA Games this year but keep in mind that those parties involved are all full of crap.

When is the SEA games this year? I think the "realistic date" is around Q4 2005.

When is the SEA games this year? I think the "realistic date" is around Q4 2005.

Isn't it in December? Or maybe late November this year. :dunno:

There goes my chances of using it this summer:(
Likewise here....but then again I guess it would be alright to experience T1 one more time...

It sucks but not surprising either. i guess the government now has more time to sit on their laurels and improve on their "petiks" time.

sigh... basically, little to no chance that I'm gonna get to use the new terminal this July/August... we all had a pretty good feeling this was gonna happen, so I'm not that pissed off either. haha! it was pretty clear that the airlines were unable to move in within the given time anyways - assuming the MIAA would have even been able to iron things out. I just really, really hope that by the time they finally get terminal 3 up and running, everything will be perfect. at least it seems like they have something really good planned for NAIA-3, so I'm just gonna wait...

as for PIATCO... those damned bastards! ang kapal kapal ng mukha nila ah... I wish they - along with any other government/Fraport/Takenaka officials involved - be put in jail for this. stupid pieces of sh*t!

This just came in today:

NAIA-3 opening seen in October
By Rainier Allan Ronda
The Philippine Star 04/30/2005

Airline officials predicted yesterday that the earliest the controversial Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) could open would be October this year.

However, this opening date is only possible if the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) can provide the airlines with everything they need to transfer from NAIA Terminal 1 to NAIA-3, according to officials of the International Air Travel Association (IATA), the Board of Airline Representatives (BAR) and the Airline Operators Council (AOC).

Speaking for the three groups, IATA official David Inglis said they need a government guarantee on the investments the airlines will make in setting up shop at NAIA-3, a lease contract agreement, and a guarantee from the government that it will receive the full cooperation of Takenaka Corp., a Japanese construction firm that did the actual work on the facility.

MIAA officials announced last Thursday they would postpone the government’s earlier promised opening date of June 21 for the new terminal. They later called a consultative meeting with the three airline groups to discuss a new plan to make the facility operational later this year.

An AOC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, agreed with Inglis’ conditions.

"We really need those to be met so we can transfer our operations without any worries. We are not being unreasonable. We’re just being practical," the official said.

The AOC estimates that international airlines will collectively spend P500 million to transfer their operations to NAIA-3.

The AOC is composed of station managers from around 36 international airlines currently operating at NAIA-1, while BAR’s members are country managers of airlines operating at NAIA-1 and the Centennial Airport.

Liwayway Vinzons-Chato, the legal counsel and spokeswoman of Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc., earlier warned airlines of legal action if they signed lease contracts with the government for space in NAIA-3 before the expropriation process is completed and just compensation to Piatco is paid.

Piatco — the consortium that built the new terminal — is locked in a legal tug-of-war with the government, which expropriated the terminal from the consortium in December following a court order by the Pasay City regional trial court, which has yet to rule on Piatco’s motion for reconsideration contesting the expropriation order.

Chato also warned that Piatco would sue Takenaka if it enters into any agreement with the government "because that would obviously be a violation of the temporary restraining order of the Supreme Court on the expropriation case. And the contract was between Piatco and Takenaka, not between the government and Takenaka."

In December, Pasay City regional trial court Judge Henrick Gingoyon granted the government’s petition to expropriate the terminal following a Supreme Court ruling that nullified Piatco’s government contract to build the terminal.

However, Gingoyon also ordered the government to pay an initial $62 million in compensation to Piatco and likewise barred it from exercising "acts of ownership" over the terminal until the expropriation process is complete.

That prompted the government to ask the Supreme Court to order Gingoyon to inhibit himself from the expropriation case.

Aside from the expropriation case, there are also two arbitration cases filed by Piatco against the government before separate international arbitration panels.

Piatco had earlier offered the government a compromise settlement that would allow the consortium to run the facility but was turned down.

The new terminal was completed in 2002 but its opening was delayed by a squabble between Piatco and its German partner, giant airport operator Fraport AG.

The facility was further delayed that year when President Arroyo abrogated Piatco’s contract for the terminal, citing anomalies.

In 2003, the Supreme Court nullified the contract, saying Piatco was not qualified to bid for it and that one-sided provisions in its favor were inserted after the contract was signed.

Everytime the opening date gets closer, it always get pushed back for whatever reason. Let's hope it opens before Christmas, it'll be a nice present to OFW coming home to celebrate Christmas.

Earlier than i thought... Well, as long as it opens this year and before the SEA games.

Screw PIATCO... TAKANEKA is alright, in a way they are also victims. I hope they will join the government and not PIATCO.

yeah... I just want to see NAIA-3 open before year end for the 2005 SEAG at the very least. I hope the MIAA gets a favorable resolution from the court proceedings soon so they can finally enter into contracts with whoever they have to to get the terminal up and running.

its was a good thing that the airport authority postponed the opening for the interest of all parties concerned espcially the airlines majority of whom have not signed the moa and find the june 21 deadline too close for them to transfer smoothly to the new terminal, i agree with it to postpone the opening and be realistic of the impossible situation to open on june 21

Is the October proposed new opening date for NAIA T3 before or after the much heralded opening of BKK's new international airport?

Is the October proposed new opening date for NAIA T3 before or after the much heralded opening of BKK's new internaitonal airport?
Ain't it cool South East Asia is opening all these new airports at about the same time. :)

Is the October proposed new opening date for NAIA T3 before or after the much heralded opening of BKK's new internaitonal airport?

I think it's after: *maybe we should ask the Thai forumers about this*

Browsing around the net, this is what this this site (http://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_aviation/read.main/2050484) says:

Noisy Aircraft 'Train' Birds

According to an Airports of Thailand (AOT) official, small and noisy aircraft have begun flying over Thailand's new $3.7-billion Suvarnabhumi International Airport in an effort to 'train' birds to avoid the area when it opens next year.

"This is to train birds to avoid being near flight paths when the airport opens so that they will not be in danger and no accidents happen." the official said. The opening of Bangkok's new airport has been put back by six months to March 2006 due to a delay in construction.

:)

Terminal 3 is nothing compared to the behemoth project of the new BKK int'l airport....and they were only delayed by months...

The whole airport is new from runway - terminal facility...they moved the whole airport 25Km outside Bangkok city center. This is the correct way of doing it. Not just build a new terminal on an ailing runway with no room for expansion...Not that I'm complaining...but it could have been better....

Heck...Bkk can handle 45 million passengers a year upon opening and 100 million upon full operation. T3 is only 14 million a year (thats nothing) and they delayed the whole job for 3 years....Imagine if the government was to build real new Int'l airport from ground-up what do you think would happen....hmm Makes me wonder...

And to think Thais used to study in our lands before....How sad...

BKK's planners had "foresight" when planning their new airport, sadly our leaders aren't that adept to the concept. It does make you think of the "what ifs" and other things that make you go hmm....

well t3 was almost finished two year ago but did not open due to president arroyo voiding the contract of piatco/fraport for being grossly disadvantageous to the government, eventually the supreme court rules the agreement null and void and later the government expropriated the property when negotiations broke down. that was the main cause why the terminal did not open on the original date in 2002. second, the airport suppose to open this june 21 but because of disagreement with the contractor who build the terminal takenaka and the concerns of the airlines over the moa, limited time to move, plus legal issues that might come on the way the opening date was xlled and a future date has not been fixed???.

i agree that the brand new airport in bangkok is very large, indeed one of the largest in asia when it open next year, but you have to note that existing airport in bankok handles far greater number of pax traffic compared to manila, in fact the bkk airport is one of the largest airpors in the world in terms of the volume of passengers, the thai government naturally wanted to invest on a brand new airport to handle this large and ever increasing load of passengers more efficiently & the existing airport could no longer do, same case perhaps in hongkong and kuala lumpur when they opened their new respective airports (these countries ay mas maunlad sa pinas kya ang gobyerno nila ay merong malaking pera or madakling makakita ng mga investor willing maglabas ng pera pra sa mga public infrastructure gya ng magpatayo ng bagong airport) at this time the exsiting terminal facilities in naia (2 & 3) can handle the 15 million passengers annually, in the event that in the future the passengers volume will increase, and that will of course depend on a booming economy especially tourism related (influx of foreign tourists coming to our country, and at the same time filipinos' increasing purchasing income to spend for travel) then the government will definitely look at the dmia as the future gateway of the country where there two exisitng runways, and can build a large terminals that can accommodate future increase in traffic

i went to HK last weekend and man all i can say is the difference between the HK airport and the old NAIA airport is like comparing the stone age to modern times..

i was stuck at the HK airport for 4 hours and i didnt notice the time pass by.. when i arrived at the NAIA airport last night nakapatay na yung aircon.. i feel so sad reading that the NAIA - 3 will be delayed.. again..

our country really needs this airport to open.. it would really give a much better impression to all the tourists.. sayang..

Ain't it cool South East Asia is opening all these new airports at about the same time. :)

Hopefully it will be about the same time;)

I'm returning to Manila on the 30th. I thought I'd never go through the rush of hairdryer-hot air once you step into the airbridge of NAIA-1 ever again, but boy was I wrong...

Oh well. We've waited some four-odd years for this terminal. What's another four? *sigh*

Hoping this. *sigh*

Gov’t still looks at June opening of NAIA-3
By Sandy Araneta
The Philippine Star 05/08/2005

The government still thinks it can open the new terminal of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by its original launch date of June 21, Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza said yesterday.

Despite earlier statements that the opening date would be postponed, Mendoza said during last Wednesday’s transport summit at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City that the launching of NAIA Terminal 3 will definitely push through on June 21.

Earlier, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said the government had given up efforts to open the mothballed facility by June 21 mainly because airlines were not ready to move in and operate.

The facility is the subject of a legal battle between the government and Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco), the consortium that built the facility, which the government took over in December.

Piatco, which is contesting the expropriation in court, had earlier threatened to sue airlines and other businesses if they set up shop in the terminal while the court case is ongoing.

The government has hired a Japanese construction company, Takenaka International Corp., to complete work on the terminal but Takenaka is likewise hesitant because of the court dispute.

MIAA officials earlier said the June 21 opening would have to be deferred if Takenaka could not begin work on the terminal. They also said the terminal would be opened with or without the airlines.

Earlier this year, airline executives said they could not meet the June 21 opening date because it would take them at least six months to set up operations.

Carriers, with the exception of Philippine Airlines, fly in and out of NAIA’s old terminal while Philippine Airlines operates from NAIA’s newer Terminal 2.

Mendoza said some carriers, including Philippine Airlines, have said they are willing to transfer to NAIA-3.

He recently accompanied Philippine Airline officials in scouting a relocation spot at the gleaming new terminal.

Government officials at the transport summit last Wednesday asked airline industry officials — the International Air Transport Association, the Board of Airline Representatives and the Airline Operators Council — for cooperation in efforts to open the terminal.

They also discussed the airlines’ concerns about moving into the new terminal. Airline industry officials will decide what to do within a few weeks.

MIAA officials, led by general manager Alfonso Cusi, were upbeat about the meeting’s results.

"With all due respect to our colleagues in the industry, while we may have some delay in the opening of Terminal 3 to commercial operations, we are steadfast in our position that since the new terminal has already been built, we should work together to make it a safe and structurally sound facility and an efficient, modern airport terminal our country deserves," Cusi said in a statement issued to the media.

In December, Pasay City regional trial court Judge Henrick Gingoyon granted the government’s petition to expropriate the terminal following a Supreme Court ruling that nullified Piatco’s government contract to build the terminal.

However, Gingoyon also ordered the government to pay an initial $62 million in compensation to Piatco and likewise barred it from exercising "acts of ownership" over the terminal until the expropriation process is complete.

That prompted the government to ask the Supreme Court to order Gingoyon to inhibit himself from the expropriation case.

Aside from the expropriation case, there are also two arbitration cases filed by Piatco against the government in separate international arbitration panels.

The new terminal was completed in 2002 but its opening was delayed by a squabble between Piatco and its German partner, giant airport operator Fraport AG.

The facility was further delayed that year when President Arroyo abrogated Piatco’s contract for the terminal, citing anomalies.

In 2003, the Supreme Court nullified the contract, saying Piatco was not qualified to bid for it and that one-sided provisions in its favor were inserted after the contract was signed.

That prompted the government to seek court permission to take over the terminal.

we hope and we hope and we hope....which is good.......







.......but......



I guess, my new moto is I'll believe it, when it is operational! :)

hope they said is the last to die

i´m sure once PAL operates from T 3 all the others will follow. T 1 is just way beyond international standards and service. noone wants to stick way behind. then at last, CEB, Air Phil, Asian Spirit and the rest of the gang can start operations from T 2. if the germans (fraport) were so stupid to corrupt their partners, they should pay the bill. they knew exactly what they were doing.....i´ve heard that a cargo terminal is supposed to be built next to T 3, any news about that ?? T 2 could then expand towards T 1, where the old cargo terminal is situated now.

i´m sure once PAL operates from T 3 all the others will follow. T 1 is just way beyond international standards and service. noone wants to stick way behind. then at last, CEB, Air Phil, Asian Spirit and the rest of the gang can start operations from T 2. if the germans (fraport) were so stupid to corrupt their partners, they should pay the bill. they knew exactly what they were doing.....i´ve heard that a cargo terminal is supposed to be built next to T 3, any news about that ?? T 2 could then expand towards T 1, where the old cargo terminal is situated now.

I think they would expand the terminal towards Nayong Pilipino. Thats what i heard awhile ago..

I hope though T-1 doesn't go to waste.. it still has beauty. u just got to renovate that place. Even though i didn't like going through it I still hope something useful will be used for it. Perhaps it can be a LCC Terminal. Think about it. If they renovate it. it could be better than the LCC Terminal Singapore is building! hahaha

Well with government pressure it's going to open AT LEAST during GMA's term. :happy: The Government hopes probably means the government likes to tell the press one thing, but expects another.

What is LCC?

hahaha...at renell. You sure are optimistic with "at least" during GMA's term.

well 2010 beats 2011... hehehe but hopefully it'll be 2006 tops.

What is LCC?

Low-Cost Carriers. :)

hi ewh 1,
i´ve heard of the expansion plans towards nayong pilipino, but i guess there is tremedous resistance to tear it down and rebuild at reclaimed land in the bay area. besides what to do with the hotel, which is very convenient so close to the airport. yeah, T 1 would fit a grandious LCC terminal. but then PAL does not have any advantages towards LCC carriers at all anymore. we need to protect PAL as THE flag carrier. LCC´s instead should fly to clark, (new) iloilo, palawan, davao, cebu, laoag, and later upon completion to panglao. a good idea would also be to expand an airport close to baneau (spelling?) rice terraces for the LCC´s. again here CEB should start moving before tiger&co takes the first step and the bulk of tourists.

hi ewh 1,
i´ve heard of the expansion plans towards nayong pilipino, but i guess there is tremedous resistance to tear it down and rebuild at reclaimed land in the bay area. besides what to do with the hotel, which is very convenient so close to the airport. yeah, T 1 would fit a grandious LCC terminal. but then PAL does not have any advantages towards LCC carriers at all anymore. we need to protect PAL as THE flag carrier. LCC´s instead should fly to clark, (new) iloilo, palawan, davao, cebu, laoag, and later upon completion to panglao. a good idea would also be to expand an airport close to baneau (spelling?) rice terraces for the LCC´s. again here CEB should start moving before tiger&co takes the first step and the bulk of tourists.

I always pass through the Bay city and there is a sign NAYONG PILIPINO and it will be the future Nayong Pilipino. For sure Nayong Pilipino will tear down once the T2 expanded. One of the forumers also told that they will going to build a new hotel in Nichols Field in front of NAIA3 so the Philippine Village Hotel in front of NAIA2 will be tear down also to give way for the expansion. foreign LCC's operates in east asian region only so PAL can now focus in their Mid. East, N. American and European operations. Again CEB and AirPhils. is really for domestic opertations since PAL has limited jets to operate domestically. CebuPac. and Air Phils. should not be threaten with the foreign LCC because they dont operate on domestic travel.

Air Philippines serves markets/destinations that PAL doesn't fly to in their domestic route network. Air Philippines and PAL have code-share agreements on those routes.

Air Philippines serves markets/destinations that PAL doesn't fly to in their domestic route network. Air Philippines and PAL have code-share agreements on those routes.
And the same frequent flier mile program which brings more variety if I wanna do mileage runs while in the Philippines. :D

MIAA optimistic, says new terminal is ‘structurally sound’
By Jonathan M. Hicap The Manila Times Reporter

Despite failing to implement its plan to open the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on June 21, the Manila International Airport Authority is optimistic about the progress of works being done to ensure that the facility is "safe and structurally sound."

Airport General Manager Alfonso Cusi and officials of the influential International Air Transport Association, Board of Airline Representatives and Airline Operators Council met for a two-day consultative meeting to brief airline industry players on the NAIA 3 project.

David Inglis, IATA assistant director for Airport Development in Asia Pacific, said, "The atmosphere is good and we truly appreciate the efforts of the MIAA in continuing this consultative process."

Inglis said cooperation is needed among aviation players as he urged IATA and airline associations to cooperate with MIAA regarding NAIA 3.

IATA said it would submit a thorough assessment report to airport and transportation authorities on issues raised during the conference.

Cusi took exception to reports quoting Inglis on problems at NAIA 3, saying "it’s really unfortunate that the positive working relationship that is being forged among the government authorities, the IATA and the local airline industry is again being eroded by a few uncooperative souls."

During the consultation, Palafox Associates and Pacific Consultants Inc. gave a briefing to IATA, BAR and AOC on the NAIA master plan and to address concerns about NAIA 3.

NAIA 3 Assistant General Manager Florencio Montalbo Jr. presented an update on the progress of the preparations for the opening of the new terminal. Montalbo said despite the delay, the MIAA is right on track in implementing the directive of the government to open terminal at the soonest possible time without sacrificing the safety and security of airline users.

Air Philippines serves markets/destinations that PAL doesn't fly to in their domestic route network. Air Philippines and PAL have code-share agreements on those routes.

Air Philippines is also owned by Lucio Tan right? same with PAL.

I wonder if someone has already posted this here...
anyway here it is...

http://www.jetphotos.net/images/0/05020308.jpg.57694.jpg

hmm, u think its huge, o tama lang? parang maliit ung parking space, it would be too crowded if all the gates get occupied altogether at one time... sagad na talaga :?

It's huge man. At least bigger than NAIA1. The parking for planes should be good enough, unless PIATCO did a 10 under par job and made it too narrow. But massive spaces between gates only mean a waste of space. From what I know in visiting airports, it has to be sagad.

It looks spacious enough, but the true test is to have all those gates filled up with those wide-bodied aircrafts and see how much of a gap it is between them. With regards to the parking lot, the area looks rather small, I thought they built parking garages instead of a lot to handle the loads of cars/trucks/jeepneys that come to greet/send off passengers.

even huge airports like frankfurt and heathrow looks so siksikan prang elbow to elbow ang sagad when all the gates are filled up with jumbo jets

It looks spacious enough, but the true test is to have all those gates filled up with those wide-bodied aircrafts and see how much of a gap it is between them. With regards to the parking lot, the area looks rather small, I thought they built parking garages instead of a lot to handle the loads of cars/trucks/jeepneys that come to greet/send off passengers.

There is a Parking Garage there.. See that elevated road that has another road on top of it thats going into the building. thats the garage.

NAIA3 has both a parking garage as well as an open parking area. The parking garage is supposed to a have a capacity of 2000 cars, while the open parking area is supposed to have a capacity of 1000 cars or more (I think it is 1200 cars).

Each of the gates facing 13-31 is supposed to have a width of at least 75 meters, this easily can take in a 747-400 or 777 which have wing spans less than 70 meters.

I wonder if someone has already posted this here...
anyway here it is...

http://www.jetphotos.net/images/0/05020308.jpg.57694.jpg


yeah...it has....BUT YEAH, it is always good to look at that photo...and its a goodway to show people how NAIA 3 is situated, and how world class.....

yeah...it has....BUT YEAH, it is always good to look at that photo...and its a goodway to show people how NAIA 3 is situated, and how world class.....


VERY WORLD CLASS!

VERY WORLD CLASS!

The terminal and the terminal facilities is indeed a world class but the supporting facilities/infrastructure like access road is still a third world class.

I wonder if someone has already posted this here...
anyway here it is...

http://www.jetphotos.net/images/0/05020308.jpg.57694.jpg

Im quoting myself....lol...

Has anybody have a similar aerial shot but fromt he right flank of the photo?
this photo is good but based on the angle u cant perceive the length of the terminal coz it looks stumpted. A right flank aerial photo would be nice...

honestly, it looks like the Chernobyl Nuke Plant...

PEro up-close, it looks grand and modern.

it looks dry without the planes

honestly, it looks like the Chernobyl Nuke Plant...

PEro up-close, it looks grand and modern.

Actually it kind of reminds me of the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. :)

Actually it kind of reminds me of the Tom Bradley International terminal at LAX. :)
My thoughts exactly! :D The only difference is the nicer interiors. ;) (not bashing the check-in area of TBIT, but past security, then that's a different story.)

The terminal and the terminal facilities is indeed a world class but the supporting facilities/infrastructure like access road is still a third world class.

isn't that where that access road recently planned and NAIA expressway steps in? where are the updates for those?:D

isn't that where that access road recently planned and NAIA expressway steps in? where are the updates for those?:D
just in time...took this last saturday on slex...but it's quiet there though

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/IMG_1282s.jpg

yeah! it's been idle for so long already. Giant Forks...

perhaps they're trying to put the "forks" up yet... up to where it's going. does anyone know where they are now? the fork structures?

they'd be our newest tourist attractions, a symbol of corruption and the fiscal crisis should it be not finished:D but i hope that won't happen hehe

giant white elephants indeed.. which could have been some few kilometers of road for the 5th class municipalities

sometime I've got no choice but to be pessimistic and sarcastic at times due to the slow pace of progress in the country

but in the end, i hope the philippines will reign

just in time...took this last saturday on slex...but it's quiet there though

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/IMG_1282s.jpg

hehehe, reminds me of Bangkok's hopewell columns... :jk:

but seriously, work has been progressing (though quite slowly)... but none of the ramps have structures crossing the SLEX yet...

http://www.pwetko.org/gallery/albums/userpics/Picture073_16May05.jpg
Skyway Northbound to NAIA3 Off-ramp (infront of TESDA Gate 2 along East Service Road)

http://www.pwetko.org/gallery/albums/userpics/Picture074_16May05.jpg
this ramp will go over the skyway as it veers to the left towards NAIA3... can't wait to see the ultra-high concrete columns for this ramp!

you're back @apiong! thanks for the pics.

suddenly, the urban legend that every pinoy has a giant fork and spoon in his/her house sprung up in my head:D:D:D:D:D

nah i think it'll be alright. where does NAIA expressway end btw? starts in SLEX to NAIA until.......?:?

Thanks for the update photos, guys:) Yeah, its quite slow...but at least its progressing. Will it be finished on time for the terminal's grand opening? :|

When is the terminal's grand opening? :D

But the two are separate things. The terminal can function in the beginning without it, but it will surely help once it's expanding even more.

it's a good thing that it's progressing albeit slowly. yup, can't wait to see that ramp crossing and towering over the skyway...noticed though that it's a bit narrow...maybe just one lane?

renell, about the opening...still no specific date...but it should be this year.
some positive news btw...

Northwest, 3 foreign airlines eye Naia-3
By Jenniffer B. Austria
may 2, 2005 Manila Standard

At least four foreign airlines have expressed interest to operate inside the controversial Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal-3 (Naia-3).
Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza told reporters that he had issued reservation agreements with four airlines, namely Korean Air, EvaAir of China, Northwest Airlines and another foreign airline.
Mendoza said the government had also invited Lucio Tan-owned Philippine Airlines to transfer its domestic airline operations to Naia-3.
PAL’s domestic and international operations are currently in Naia Terminal-2.
PAL reportedly has no objections as long as the terminal fee stays the same at P500 per passenger.
“We want everybody to transfer to Naia-3. It is a big terminal and it can accommodate all the airlines,” he said.
The issuance of the reservation agreement is in line with the government’s plan to open Naia-3 around the third quarter of the year.
Opening of Naia-3 is being delayed because of some problems with Japanese contractor Takenaka International Corp.
Manila International Airport Authority general manager Alfonso Cusi earlier reported that Takenaka Corp., which had been contracted to build Naia-3 by the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco) consortium, sought revisions to the agreement that the government is trying to forge.
The government is trying to gain Takenaka’s cooperation in opening the new terminal.

First airlines to publicly express interest in NAIA3?

I thought they'd be forced off Terminal 1 and into 3 anyways? Or do the first ones get special treatment?

Dapat all at the same time.... para organized.

http://www.pwetko.org/gallery/albums/userpics/Picture075_19May05.jpg
a unique support column design (it supports just one beam!) ehehehe...

http://www.pwetko.org/gallery/albums/userpics/Picture076_19May05.jpg
another column rising from its foundations... this is for the NAIA to Skyway Northbound On-ramp

http://www.pwetko.org/gallery/albums/userpics/Picture077_19May05.jpg
view of the the downramp support columns from the Sales Bridge to SLEX northbound with the skyway southbound off-ramp to naia in the background...

wow, great! That first pylon is quite unique, but i think i've seen similar ones in Jakarta's elevated toll road (btw, Indonesians helped build the Skyway)

On that first picture, are you on SLEX? It seems quite narrow.

On that first picture, are you on SLEX? It seems quite narrow.

that was along the East Service Rd. - we were going northbound, infront of the TESDA complex.

btw, they're already boring the foundations for the other side of the skyway-southbound on-ramp from naia... as a result of which, a lot of "informal settlers" were removed...

that was along the East Service Rd. - we were going northbound, infront of the TESDA complex.

btw, they're already boring the foundations for the other side of the skyway-southbound on-ramp from naia... as a result of which, a lot of "informal settlers" were removed...

"Informal settlers," is that the PC term of addressing them these days? :D

double post...sorry

First airlines to publicly express interest in NAIA3?

I thought they'd be forced off Terminal 1 and into 3 anyways? Or do the first ones get special treatment?
not really sure...maybe just a choice of location of their offices in the terminal. let's hope they all move in soon :)

@apiong, thanks for the photo update. i am imagining, from your description and photos, that it's going to be one pretty awesome interchange. one that has never before seen in metro manila.

Takenaka NAIA-3 deal under threat
Clarissa S. Batino Inquirer News Service May 20, 2005

The government has given Japanese contractor Takenaka Corp. until the end of the month to agree to its contract terms and ensure that Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will start operating before Christmas, a government official told the Inquirer.

If Takenaka doesn't agree to the terms, the government would have to hire another contractor to finish its job, said the official, declining identification.

Officials of the Department of Transportation and Communications said they were hopeful that the Japanese firm would agree to the terms offered, which include a reduction in the price for extending the runway and completing the NAIA-3 project.

The Manila International Airport Authority decided to extend the runway by 1,998 meters to give large aircraft more room to maneuver.

The government also wants Takenaka to drop its plea for an indemnity provision, which would protect it from any lawsuit that the government might file against the NAIA 3 contractor, Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (PIATCo).

PIATCo, with German partner Fraport AG, began the NAIA-3 project during the Joseph Estrada presidency and had nearly completed it when the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and later the Supreme Court nullified its contract. They have sued the Philippine government in international courts.

The government took over the project late last year and promised to operate it in six months.

The project was delayed, partly due to additional work that had to be done.

"If Takaneka signs by the end of the month, then there's a good chance of operating the terminal before Christmas," the official said. "But if we get another contractor, then we are talking of another three months to give some allowance for familiarization with the facility."

taken from philstar.com... now this is a real downer...

NAIA-3 won’t make June 21 deadline?
By Sandy Araneta
The Philippine Star 05/20/2005

While the government maintains otherwise, sources within the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said yesterday that the controversial Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) will not open by June 21 "or anytime in the near future."

Sources said the extensive rehabilitation being undertaken by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) on NAIA Terminal 1, where the offices of international airlines are located, could be a sign that the airlines will not transfer to NAIA-3 in time for its June 21 opening.

MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi, however, denied that the rehabilitation was extensive and claimed that the MIAA is simply doing its usual maintenance work for the safety of passengers.

Insiders also said legal problems plaguing NAIA-3 could push back the opening to late this year or early next year.

One source said the government is considering replacing Takenaka Corp., which built NAIA-3, with a new contractor to complete work on the facility.

Cusi confirmed there could be a "short" delay if legal impediments are not ironed out in time for the terminal’s June 21 opening.

"We are just following the legal process," he stressed in a phone interview yesterday afternoon.

Cusi also said the government is still dealing with Takenaka, denying reports that the contractor would only deal with the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco).

The facility is the subject of a legal battle between the government and Piatco, the consortium that built the facility, which the government took over in December.

Piatco, which is contesting the expropriation in court, had earlier threatened to sue airlines and other businesses if they set up shop in the terminal while the court case is ongoing.

Piatco reportedly has an exclusive contract with Takenaka with regards to the building of NAIA-3.

Industry sources said replacing Takenaka would be impossible. They said that even if the government managed to acquire the services of another contractor, Takenaka would never turn over documents, plans and blueprints the government needs to operate the terminal.

The government could also face a big lawsuit if it replaces Takenaka, insiders said.

Last May 7, DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the launching of Terminal 3 would definitely push through in June, contradicting an earlier statement by the MIAA saying that the government had given up efforts to open the mothballed facility by June 21 mainly because airlines were not ready to move in and operate.

MIAA officials earlier said the opening would have to be deferred if Takenaka could not begin work on the terminal. They also said the terminal would be opened with or without the airlines.

Earlier this year, airline executives said they could not meet the June deadline because it would take them at least six months to set up operations.

just to change the subject a bit, what is this I hear about them extending the runway almost 2km. Which runway is this? It cant be 06-24 because that is already 3600m long. Could it be 13-31? I dont think so but what do the other in this forum think.

hi docz,
i suppose it´s not the runway but rather the taxiway between terminal 3 and runway 13 - 31.
rds from richard

My thoughts exactly! Because 1998m is the length of 13-31. But 13-31 does have an existing taxiway which is on the T3 side. So, does this mean they will construct another taxiway? If so, where? The current existing runway does not have sufficient separation from runway 13-31.

Other possibilities may be to widen 13-31 from 45m to 60m width (which is the standard). Or build another taxiway on the other side of the runway passing through Nayong Pilipino, as this was planned in the mid-80s

Hi all!

So is there any final word yet on when Terminal 3 will be opened? I'm coming home on September 10 and I really really want to use Terminal 3!!! I think it will be my last chance for a long time coz I think it will be a while until I take another international flight!

well dear docz,
i guess they were referring to that taxiway on the T 2/nayong pilipino side. hopefully they will build it fitting the A 380 while their at it. after all, if PAL wants to put 2 A380´s into service (as they are planning). it does need wider specifications, just like the main runway needs widening for the thrust of the outer engines not to "hang over" the gras on both sides of the runway. but that´s not all, we still need the SLEX connection to T 3 and the tunnel under 13-31 runway to T2. i heard they instead were thinking about constructing a monorail around domestic terminal to T 2 instead. let´s see what they will come up to in the future. it still is a looonng way to go. first of all, OPEN T 3 AT LAST !
rds. from philpal

Richard,

My understanding is that there will be three connections/interchanges namely one from SLEX/south superhighway, another one from the skyway, and one from C5. These will all go into the elevated road along Sales/andrews avenue and continuing up to T2. I know that the engineering design for the elevated road has been completed, but the foundation work has not yet begun.

what a way to start my day.... :( taken from philstar.com

DOTC: Gov’t can obtain NAIA-3 blueprints from other sources
By Sandy Araneta
The Philippine Star 05/26/2005

The government plans to obtain blueprints of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s new Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) from other sources if the Japanese contractor hired by the government to work on the facility refuses to cooperate.

Takenaka Corp., which was among the contractors that built the massive terminal, is hesitant to finish work on the facility because of an ongoing legal dispute between the government and Philippine International Air Terminals Co., Inc. (Piatco), the consortium that built NAIA-3.

Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the government is also considering hiring other contractors if Takenaka backs out.

The government wants Takenaka to turn over the blueprints as part of its effort to open the mothballed terminal by June 21.

"We can get the plans from other sources. We just want it officially," Mendoza said. He refused to give details.

Mendoza said they are still assessing if it is possible to meet the target date.

"We are doing a reassessment. We are still awaiting the Takenaka documents, plans and blueprints. Because without these documents, we cannot do a comprehensive inspection of the airport," he said.

"We need an inspection in order to determine if the terminal is structurally sound. If it is structurally sound, that is the only time we could issue the lease contract with the airline operators."

The government is already in talks with other Japanese firms in case Takenaka balks, Mendoza said, adding that Takenaka has already been given a deadline.

Earlier, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said it had given up efforts to open the facility, mainly because airlines were not ready to move in.

The facility was expropriated by the government in December after it obtained a court order.

Piatco, which is contesting the expropriation in court, had earlier threatened to sue airlines and other businesses if they set up shop in the terminal while the case is ongoing.

MIAA officials earlier said the June 21 opening would have to be deferred if Takenaka could not commence work on the terminal. They also said the terminal would be opened with or without the airlines.

Airline executives said earlier this year they could not meet the June 21 opening because it would take them at least six months to set up operations.

Carriers, with the exception of Philippine Airlines, continue to fly in and out of NAIA’s old terminal while flag carrier PAL operates out of NAIA’s newer Terminal 2.

Mendoza earlier said some carriers, including PAL, had said they are willing to transfer to the new terminal.

Hmm.... @docz, so there are plans C5 to Terminal 2, but from C5, SLEX or Skyway it all leads to the same road, though different entry ramps?

Hmm.... @docz, so there are plans C5 to Terminal 2, but from C5, SLEX or Skyway it all leads to the same road, though different entry ramps?

it's part of the Skyway Stage-2 (they're at the NAIA connection at the moment)
http://www.filipinocybermall.com/sky_img/stage2.jpg

btw, they updated the look of the skyway websites:
http://www.metromanilaskyway.com/mainpage.html
http://www.skyway.com.ph/

oo nga noh...
kaya lang same contents.... hay...

I would imagine that all these three roads would merge to and from andrews/salas road, although I am not aware how it will be done. I do know that you can go from Skyway to NAIA expressway (that is what the designers call it), but I am not sure if you can go from the NAIA expressway to the skyway. My understanding is that the junction from SLEX and C5 will be replacements to the current Nichols interchange. These three connection were divided among three different design firms, and later on to three different contractors, one of which is a steel contractor. So expect one of the interchanges to be steel with the two others, particularly the connection between Skyway and NAIA3 to be a RC (reinforced concrete) structure.

cool updates... on the NAIA Expressway especially!! it's been so long since we heard anything about it. thanks for all the pictures!

I sorta don't understand how the interchanges are gonna work and all yet, so I'm just gonna wait for more discussions on the thread... haha

it's part of the Skyway Stage-2 (they're at the NAIA connection at the moment)
http://www.filipinocybermall.com/sky_img/stage2.jpg

btw, they updated the look of the skyway websites:
http://www.metromanilaskyway.com/mainpage.html
http://www.skyway.com.ph/

oh right. thanks for reminding me, i have a bad memory. :D

NAIA 3 dispute settled; opening seen before Christmas
Clarissa S. Batino Inquirer News Service Jun. 01, 2005

Japanese contractor Takenaka Corp. has agreed to complete the unfinished work at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on terms favorable to the Philippine government, Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza said.

Mendoza said he was confident that with Takenaka ensuring the structural integrity of NAIA 3, the modern airport terminal would be opened before Christmas.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and Takenaka agreed Tuesday on the final terms of the contract to complete NAIA 3, Mendoza said in an interview.

The Philippine government gave Takenaka until the end of May to decide whether it would finish the job. If Takenaka decided otherwise, the government would hire another contractor, which could push back the opening of the terminal to the first quarter of 2006.

Takenaka, which built international airports in Abu Dhabi, Colombo, Bali, Japan, Malaysia, Mombasa and Singapore, agreed to complete the controversial NAIA Terminal 3 at a much lower cost than it had demanded, Mendoza said.

He declined to disclose the amount, saying the completion cost was confidential.

Other sources said the foreign contractor agreed to cut its asking price of $106 million by more than 50 percent. A limited indemnity provision is also acceptable to the Japanese firm, they said.

The government has provided the "limited indemnity" on the contract with Takenaka, they added.

Part of the unfinished work is the extension of the runway. The MIAA has decided to lengthen the runway from the present 1,998 meters to give bigger aircraft more room to maneuver.

"We have been negotiating with Takenaka so that all the defects and technical issues such as those pertaining to structural integrity could be properly addressed," MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi said.

A source said Mendoza was instrumental in negotiating with Takaneka to persuade it to agree to the government's terms. Another source said Mendoza showed the Japanese negotiators his tough side, reminiscent of his days as head of the Philippine National Police.

The government took over the NAIA 3 late last year and promised to operate it in six months or by June 21.

What became contentious was that the Japanese contractor sought an indemnity provision from the government, which in effect would protect it from any lawsuit that may be filed by the main contractor, Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (PIATCo), a Filipino-German consortium.

Takenaka was contracted by PIATCo to help build NAIA 3. PIATCo and its German member Fraport Inc. have pending arbitration cases against the Philippine government over the nullification of their NAIA 3 contract.

Sources said the international arbitration court in Washington would soon decide on the case filed by Fraport.

So far, of the more than 30 airline companies operating in Manila, only Northwest Airlines, Korean Airlines, Eva Air and China Airlines have agreed to move to NAIA 3.

Mendoza said Philippine Airlines (PAL), which uses NAIA 2 exclusively, had agreed in principle to move to NAIA 3.

Its officials have been insisting that PAL would not transfer if the MIAA would increase the fees.

NAIA 3 is built to handle 13 million passengers a year, as against 4.5 million at NAIA 1 and 2.5 million at NAIA 2.

The new terminal has 140 check-in counters on five islands, compared with 84 at NAIA 1 and 40 at NAIA 2. It has nine baggage carousels and 120 immigration counters, compared with six and 82 at NAIA 1 and two and 25 at NAIA 2.

^^^good news it is! :D

A source said Mendoza was instrumental in negotiating with Takaneka to persuade it to agree to the government's terms. Another source said Mendoza showed the Japanese negotiators his tough side, reminiscent of his days as head of the Philippine National Police.


Read this in Filipino action movie tough guy cop voice:

Takaneka!!! Kung hindi kayo sumali sa amin, isa-isa kong hahabulin ang mga tao nyo. Wala na kayong panahon. Hindi kayo makakatakas. Hindi kayo makakatago. Ako mismo ang may hawak ng buhay nyo.

Kung hidi kayo sumali... kailangan na ninyo mag umpisa ng pagdarasal! Kaya gawin nyo na ang kailangan gawin. Itapos na ang NAIA!

Kung hindi--- MAGDUSA KAYO!!!!!!!

:guns1:

/\ :lol: That's was funny and entertaining @boybaha! Another one of your many hidden talents being discovered here on SSC! :lol:

kiretoce, you beat me to it.. damn, was i excited when i read the news earlier.. :D finally!!!

well that's good! But also interesting because doesn't that mean that it will miss the SEA Games mark?

YAY!! Its about time. I'm glad Takaneka has decided to cooperate with the govt.

lol @ boybaha:D nicely said.

i wonder if there will be fireworks and celebration and partying when it opens.. haha.. and then crazy folk will wonder where all the fireworks and celebration money came from...

kiretoce, you beat me to it.. damn, was i excited when i read the news earlier.. :D finally!!!

Sorry to put a damper on you....I saw that piece of news when it was less than an hour old on Google. I'm excited about the opening too, at last there's a glimmer of light at the end of a very long and very dark tunnel. :)

hehehehe.. no problem.. :) we all want the best..

yeeeesssssssss!!! sa wakas!! hahaha! I read the article last night but couldn't post here til now... yeah, we're finally nearing the other end of this long tunnel... (which is sorta ironic due to the fact that the consortium totally cut out the tunnel that was supposed to be built under NAIA.) good job on the part of the gov't and the officials who got everything back on track...

I'm probably not gonna get to use T3 this year, but I just hope it will finally open before the 2005 SEAG. and hopefully the DPWH will have the NAIA-3 Expressway done by then...

Guess I won't be able to use it this year. But I'm just sooo glad that it will finally open.

hmm....i beleive something would come up again that will cause rescheduling of the opening of the terminal, sorry to say this but this is my observation

ohh my... so no new date for the opening huh?..... well I hope it does before August...

one small step to opening...hmm... most likely it will be open 2006... unless some blistering work is set, and no obstruction comes along. hope nothing goes wrong.

thanks god credit to sec mendoza for being a tough negotiator

oh geeeesh.... they always cancelling it... iv been looking forward to use T3 by december coz im going to US by that time....

hmm....i beleive something would come up again that will cause rescheduling of the opening of the terminal, sorry to say this but this is my observation

That's a pessimistic view on things....I guess there's always that some part in us that always think that if things seem to be going along smoothly is too good to be true and further up the path is another obstacle we have to tackle and go through great lengths to overcome. Here's hoping it won't come to that. :)

If it comes to that, Mendoza will hire his goons.

Oops! Spoke too soon....

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

PIATCO dares govt to show contract with Takenaka
By Jonathan M. Hicap | Thursday, June 02, 2005

The lawyer for the Philippine International Air Terminals Inc. Co. (Piatco) has dared the government to show the contract the government purportedly signed with the Japanese contractor, Takenaka Corp., to finish the unused Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

The lawyer, Liwayway Vin*zons-Chato, spokeswoman for the Cheng family, which has the controlling stake in Piatco, told The Manila Times that she doubts there is a new contract.

Earlier, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza announced that the government is ready to open NAIA 3 on or before December this year after Takenaka agreed to participate in finishing the NAIA 3, including ensuring its structural integrity.

Chato doubted the contract’s existence, saying Takenaka even wrote Piatco and promised that it would not enter into a contract with the Philippine government until the expropriation case is settled.

She said the government should disclose the contents of the contract since taxpayers would be shouldering the payment to Takenaka.

“Why doesn’t it disclose the contract?” Chato said.

Even Airport General Manager Alfonso Cusi said he has not seen the contract.

Takenaka is the contractor hired by the Piatco to build NAIA 3.

The contractor’s role is crucial as it holds the operational codes needed to run different systems at the new airport.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) had been wooing Takenaka to finish the terminal since January, but the issue of payment and the threat of a possible legal suit by Piatco prevented the company.

Asked if Piatco would sue Takenaka over the new contract, Chato said the company “can’t do anything.”

She said the government showed that it could do anything when it took over NAIA 3 in December 2004.

Chato said Piatco is hoping that the two international arbitration cases it filed against the Philippine government regarding payment for NAIA 3 would be resolved before the end of the year.

predictable response

I'm probably not gonna get to use T3 this year, but I just hope it will finally open before the 2005 SEAG. and hopefully the DPWH will have the NAIA-3 Expressway done by then...
Indeed, I'm hoping as well esp. since the PI will be hosting the SEAG this year and the least that could be done is getting NAIA T3 open to bring that first impression of the Philippines to a more positive level. :D

oh my... on or before december..... :( I've been hoping to use the airport on August when I go to China... too bad... I hope this airport will open soon... it's way long overdue...

hi everyone,
this seems to be the latest news on T 3. hopefully this time it can be taken serious :

NAIA-3 to open before end of the year -- Mendoza
MANILA, June 2 (PNA) - The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal III will open before the end of the year and not as scheduled on June 21.

This was disclosed by Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza, saying that the Japanese contractor Takenaka Corporation had signed the final terms of the contract to finish the project.

"We have agreed with Takenaka on the final terms of the contract. He will be the one to finish the project," Mendoza said.

On the other hand, lawyer of the Philippine Air Terminals Co., Inc., (Piatco) Liwayway Vinzons-Chato said that Takenaka cannot go into contract with the national government to complete the NAIA Terminal III because Takenaka has a signed agreement with Piatco.

Piatco, the consortium that built the new terminal, is locked in a legal tug-of-war with the government, which expropriated the terminal from the consortium last December following a court order by the Pasay City regional trial court, which has yet to rule on Piatco's motion of reconsideration contesting the expropriation order.

Chato also warned that Piatco would sue Takenaka if it enters into any agreement with the government "because that would obviously be a violation of the temporary restraining order of the Supreme Court on the expropriation case. And the contract was between Piatco and Takenaka and not between the government and Takenaka."

Takenaka has reportedly agreed with the government to complete the project at '50 percent lower' than its bargaining price of 106 million US dollars.

The contract of the government with Takenaka involves the extension of the runway by 1,998 meters to give way to large aircraft more room maneuver and the construction of an 18 million US dollars tunnel that would connect NAIA I with NAIA 3.

In December, Pasay City regional trail court Judge Henrick-Gingoyan granted the government's petition to expropriate the terminal following a Supreme Court ruling that nullified Piatco's government contract to build the terminal.

However, Gingoyon also ordered the government to pay an initial 62 million US dollars in compensation to Piatco and likewise barred it from excising "acts of ownership" over the terminal until the expropriation process is complete.

That prompted the government to ask the Supreme Court to order Gingoyon to inhibit himself from the expropriation case.

Aside from the expropriation case, there are also two arbitration cases filed by Piatco against the government before separate international arbitration panels.

Earlier, Piatco had offered the government a compromise settlement that would allow the consortium to run the facility but was turned down.

The new terminal was completed in 2002, but its opening was delayed by a squabble between Piatco and its German partner, Fraport AG.

The facility was further delayed that year when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo abrogated Piatco's contract for the terminal citing anomalies.

In 2003, the Supreme Court nullified the contract, saying Piatco was not qualified to bid for it and that one-sided provisions in its favor were inserted after the contract was signed.

The decision of Takenaka to complete the construction would pave the way for the full operation of the facility by December, as promised by Malacanang. (Lynda B. Valencia/PNA)

i´m sure they meant connection T2 with T3 with a tunnel and not T1 with T3. anyway, lets hope it will finish before the asian games start end of november. rds from philpal/richard

heres another article i found regarding

Manila Terminal 3 to open before Christmas

Manila: After several months of delicate negotiations, the Department of Transportation and Communication secretary Leandro Mendoza announced that the Philippine government and Japanese contractor Takenaka Corp have reached final contract terms ensuring the opening of the controversial Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA 3) before Christmas this year.

"We have agreed with Takenaka on the final terms of the contract and Takenaka will be the one to finish the construction of Terminal 3 which will begin operations before December 25," Mendoza said.

The government had given Takenaka a deadline until May 31 to reach an agreement. The Japanese contractor finally adhered to the terms proposed by the government panel including a price reduction for the 1,998m extension of the runway to accommodate larger aircraft.

That's a pessimistic view on things....I guess there's always that some part in us that always think that if things seem to be going along smoothly is too good to be true and further up the path is another obstacle we have to tackle and go through great lengths to overcome. Here's hoping it won't come to that. :)

onced construction of the runway extension and the tunnel begins, then that could be a sign that the opening of the terminal is close at hand, i beleive the government is doing all within its power to open the termninal for traffic

Great! So they will build the tunnel. But is it only for baggage handling or will their be some kind of transport system for people in the tunnel?

again the question : what runway are we talking about ? and where will it expand to ? there is no space around NAIA to expand a runway by another 2000 meters. in my opinion that can only be a taxiway parallel to the shorter runway facing domestic terminal, right ?

perhaps it's the secondary runway which they will expand?

Hmmm... before December 25 2005. I guess.... 200th time lucky ;) :lol: :D

this article says takenaka has not agreed on all terms of the government to finish the terminal

Govt ready to finance completion of terminal

THE Philippine government stands ready to finance completion of the Ninoy Aqu*ino International Airport Terminal 3 (NA*IA 3) in case negotiations with the Japanese contractor fall through, according to Alfonso Cusi, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).

In a roundtable with The Manila Times staffers, Cusi said the government will shell out an estimated P700 million to finish the NAIA 3 project if Takenaka Corp. disagrees with the terms of ongoing negotiations for the completion of the project.

Negotiations between the MIAA and Takenaka for the completion of construction work are in the final stages, Cusi said.

“We are now in the final stage of the negotiation (but) legal issues still need to be discussed,” he said.

Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza said Takenaka has agreed to complete the work at the NAIA 3 on terms favorable to the government.

Cusi elaborated, saying MIAA and the Japanese contractor have agreed on “certain conditions.”

“We are still sticking to the opening of the NAIA 3 before the end of the year, but we don’t have a specific date,” he said, adding that the final date will depend on ongoing talks.

Takenaka was contracted by the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco) to help build NAIA 3, although the lead group in the construction was German firm Fraport AG.

Fraport owns 30 percent of the consortium handling the project, along with Pair Cargo, Philippine Air and Ground Services Inc.

The government however took over the terminal in December with plans of opening it in June. This in turn prompted Piatco to contest the expropriation in court.

In May 2003 the Supreme Court voided the concession agreement, its amendments and supplements.

In January 2004 the Court denied Piatco’s motion for reconsideration, and in December of the same year, the government decided to expropriate the $650-million terminal.

NEWS that the world’s biggest aircraft—the Airbus A380 that will be able to disgorge up to 900 passengers with every airport arrival —has been forced to push back by six months the delivery of the first planes would have been received with a great sigh of relief by Ninoy Aquino International Airport General Manager Alfonso Cusi.

For the first airline scheduled to receive the A380 (now reset for the fourth quarter of 2006) and put it into service is Singapore Airlines which has daily flights to Manila, and would at some stage inevitably fly in the super jumbo to NAIA.

According to the hard talking and hard working Cusi, as NAIA now stands the arrival of the A380 would mean that for the duration of its stop-over the airport would have to severely restrict its operations for safety reasons because of the massive wing span of the aircraft. The problem of servicing A380s would be better addressed at NAIA 3—financial and legal matters (though not necessarily in that order!) permitting.

But that, as they say, is another story.

Will T3 be affected if GMA is ousted?

i just hope t3 will open before xmas.. no more excuses... so i will be able to use it... haha..

Will T3 be affected if GMA is ousted?
possible since the first gentleman will not be around to ask for so much money to have it continued.

To think it would've been opened on Saturday. :O Here's to hoping that GMA gets to complete her full term in office. The alternative is much much worse....

Cheers be with you Louman :cheers:

Ever wonder why Piatco and Frapport has been silent lately? Probably anticipating a turn-over eh....hmmmmm....another angle of conspiracy theory....
I really want to find-out which companies/countries have perfected the art of digital audio-technology..

Delete..

Piatco /Fraport are quiet because their case is really under arbitration. They are happy to maintain the status quo until it's decision. They only release statements when the government releases it's own statements about opening NAIA 3.

US agency thumbs down NAIA passenger flow scheme
By Rainier Allan Ronda | The Philippine Star | 06/16/2005

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has questioned the Manila International Airport Authority’s new passenger traffic flow scheme at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 for possible susceptibility to security breach.

In view of the TSA’s questions on the passenger flow scheme, retired Brig. Gen. Angel Atutubo, MIAA assistant general manager for security and emergency services, admitted that MIAA had voluntarily reverted to the previous passenger traffic flow scheme already accepted by the US transportation security agency.

In a phone interview with The Star, Atutubo said the TSA had cited the failure of the MIAA to install a promised glass partition panel at the main lobby of the NAIA international passenger terminal (IPT) dividing the new "sanitized" and "unsanitized" areas created at the lobby as a result of the new flow scheme implemented early last May.

The TSA had also cited the failure to deploy bomb-sniffing dogs at the main lobby area of the NAIA IPT after the implementation of the new scheme.

According to the TSA, these two items had made the IPT non-compliant with the provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

However, Atutubo stressed that the reversion to the old lobby floor plan was only temporarily or a period of a month or two until they install the requested glass partition panel and they train the required number of bomb-sniffing dogs.

"The canines and their handlers are still getting their training in Antipolo," Atutubo said.

It will be recalled that MIAA implemented the new scheme early last May wherein they moved the two main baggage X-ray machines within the airport lobby to widen the unsanitized area or space for passengers and their baggage who have just entered the air-conditioned main lobby of the airport and had not yet gone through the X-ray security check.

Before the subsequent modification of the new passenger flow scheme, officials of international airlines operating at the terminal bewailed the scheme, saying that it had reduced the check-in area of the airlines at the lobby, causing congestion in that portion of the lobby.

After the modification, the passenger traffic flow scheme had been hailed by passengers since it allowed them entry into the air-conditioned main lobby of the terminal before going through X-ray unlike before when the x-ray machines were situated right at the entrance of the main lobby and passengers had to wait outside in the beat to queue for the X-ray check of their person and their baggage.

damn... i hope it will open very soon....

should we always follow instructions? should their opinion matter that much? i know it's for our safety too. but we look stupid. we are only proud of things because the outsiders think those things are great. we believe and cry at every criticism without checking their statements, reviewing their sources, removing the bias etc... it's stupid. we're even told what to feel.

US agency thumbs down NAIA passenger flow scheme
By Rainier Allan Ronda | The Philippine Star | 06/16/2005

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has questioned the Manila International Airport Authority’s new passenger traffic flow scheme at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 for possible susceptibility to security breach.

In view of the TSA’s questions on the passenger flow scheme, retired Brig. Gen. Angel Atutubo, MIAA assistant general manager for security and emergency services, admitted that MIAA had voluntarily reverted to the previous passenger traffic flow scheme already accepted by the US transportation security agency.

In a phone interview with The Star, Atutubo said the TSA had cited the failure of the MIAA to install a promised glass partition panel at the main lobby of the NAIA international passenger terminal (IPT) dividing the new "sanitized" and "unsanitized" areas created at the lobby as a result of the new flow scheme implemented early last May.

The TSA had also cited the failure to deploy bomb-sniffing dogs at the main lobby area of the NAIA IPT after the implementation of the new scheme.

According to the TSA, these two items had made the IPT non-compliant with the provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

However, Atutubo stressed that the reversion to the old lobby floor plan was only temporarily or a period of a month or two until they install the requested glass partition panel and they train the required number of bomb-sniffing dogs.

"The canines and their handlers are still getting their training in Antipolo," Atutubo said.

It will be recalled that MIAA implemented the new scheme early last May wherein they moved the two main baggage X-ray machines within the airport lobby to widen the unsanitized area or space for passengers and their baggage who have just entered the air-conditioned main lobby of the airport and had not yet gone through the X-ray security check.

Before the subsequent modification of the new passenger flow scheme, officials of international airlines operating at the terminal bewailed the scheme, saying that it had reduced the check-in area of the airlines at the lobby, causing congestion in that portion of the lobby.

After the modification, the passenger traffic flow scheme had been hailed by passengers since it allowed them entry into the air-conditioned main lobby of the terminal before going through X-ray unlike before when the x-ray machines were situated right at the entrance of the main lobby and passengers had to wait outside in the beat to queue for the X-ray check of their person and their baggage.


What the heck are they talking about?! NAIA security is stricter than the security that they have here at the LAX. Anybody can just come into the check in area here. What's to prevent a terrorist from coming in and leaving a piece of luggage rigged with explosives? If I remember correctly, only ticketed passengers can enter the departure hall at NAIA where there is an Xray machine. Then there's another xray machine and body search before immigration and another one before you enter the pre-boarding area. I think they only have one xray and body search at the LAX and that's the one in between check in and the pre-boarding area. There have been numerous security breaches at US airports and so far I have not heard of any at NAIA.

What the heck are they talking about?! NAIA security is stricter than the security that they have here at the LAX. Anybody can just come into the check in area here. What's to prevent a terrorist from coming in and leaving a piece of luggage rigged with explosives? If I remember correctly, only ticketed passengers can enter the departure hall at NAIA where there is an Xray machine. Then there's another xray machine and body search before immigration and another one before you enter the pre-boarding area. I think they only have one xray and body search at the LAX and that's the one in between check in and the pre-boarding area. There have been numerous security breaches at US airports and so far I have not heard of any at NAIA.


Nevermind, they're American.

Well it's June 21. *sigh*

^ Nevermind, it's the Philippines :lol: I wait the day delay is only a suggestion, not a requirement.

^ Nevermind, it's the Philippines :lol: I wait the day delay is only a suggestion, not a requirement.

it's worth a delay as long as they will build the tunnel under 13/31 which is i think one of the requirements of MIAA to Takenaka.

What the heck are they talking about?! NAIA security is stricter than the security that they have here at the LAX. Anybody can just come into the check in area here. What's to prevent a terrorist from coming in and leaving a piece of luggage rigged with explosives? If I remember correctly, only ticketed passengers can enter the departure hall at NAIA where there is an Xray machine. Then there's another xray machine and body search before immigration and another one before you enter the pre-boarding area. I think they only have one xray and body search at the LAX and that's the one in between check in and the pre-boarding area. There have been numerous security breaches at US airports and so far I have not heard of any at NAIA.


That's what i thought...when my dad used to work there he said its very strict more strict than the US. And when i used terminal one to go to the U.S. a while back, yeah...they didn't allow anyone to the airport (the check-in area where you check-in your baggage) without a ticket (well this is what I remember) but i think they did, but yeah when you are going to your boarding gate to your flight, they do not allow you to go there unless you are the one flying....so I don't know why this transportation thing from the U.S. is saying all this bad stuff, how we need to change our security...why are they the standard of excellence?!?!? I think most other countries are much stricter with airport security...well the U.S. airports are not bad, but this US aiport transporation safety thing committee shouldn't be saying anything, since they are not all that! :)

Alam mo naman mga onaks, double standard.

That's what i thought...when my dad used to work there he said its very strict more strict than the US. And when i used terminal one to go to the U.S. a while back, yeah...they didn't allow anyone to the airport (the check-in area where you check-in your baggage) without a ticket (well this is what I remember) but i think they did, but yeah when you are going to your boarding gate to your flight, they do not allow you to go there unless you are the one flying....so I don't know why this transportation thing from the U.S. is saying all this bad stuff, how we need to change our security...why are they the standard of excellence?!?!? I think most other countries are much stricter with airport security...well the U.S. airports are not bad, but this US aiport transporation safety thing committee shouldn't be saying anything, since they are not all that! :)


Yes, I noticed that NAIA has very strict security and restrictions from the point entering the airport to the very last at the boarding gate. I was recently in the Philippines and was waiting for a PR flight back to HK at 6:05pm and there were also some US-Canada flights such as Vancouver-Las Vegas, LA, and SF around that time. I saw the officials setting up for a secondary passport checks and only passengers for that particular flight were allowed to that controlled and fenced-off area. Oh, they did the same thing to the Singapore bound passengers.

i agree.
americanos are sometimes "holding their noses up" much too high. instead they should tend to their own matters rather than playing the police headquaters of the world. their standards should be updated, and they can learn something there from the filipino people!

how come it was cancelled again? i bet this coming december it will be cancelled again and again until it becomes an ugly and unmodernized airport.. but at least, it is far better than naia1&2...

i know that it was cancelled again. it always gets cancelled. anyway, whats the latest guys? any concrete news about the terminals opening? how about an opening date? have the started on the tunnel construction? heck they should work their asses of right now coz december is just around the corner. if they dont move fast, then its gona be history repeating itself for the nth time again.

i know that it was cancelled again. it always gets cancelled. anyway, whats the latest guys? any concrete news about the terminals opening? how about an opening date? have the started on the tunnel construction? heck they should work their asses of right now coz december is just around the corner. if they dont move fast, then its gona be history repeating itself for the nth time again.
Seriously...it's like a never ending cycle of delays.... :nuts:

29 June 2005

Philippines hopes to settle all claims on seized airport terminal in 2005

MANILA : The Philippines expects to settle all claims against a controversial 650-million-dollar Manila airport terminal and hopes to open it by next year, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima says.

He told a business conference that separate arbitration proceedings over the airport terminal in Singapore and Washington would last "probably another year."

However, Purisima said the government was completing the construction of the terminal and had deposited money in a bank to be used in the event the courts uphold the expropriation of the terminal, built by a consortium, Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco).

This would allow the terminal to be used by the public as early as this year if the legal problems can be settled, he added.

Purisima added that there were "private entities trying to resolve this outside of the court" but he would not elaborate.

The terminal had been mothballed since 2003 when President Gloria Arroyo revoked the developing consortium's "build-operate-transfer" contract with the government on the grounds that certain terms were illegally renegotiated by her deposed predecessor Joseph Estrada in 1998.

Estrada was toppled in a bloodless, military-backed popular revolt in 2001 and is on trial for unrelated charges of corruption.

One of the consortium's members, Fraport AG of Germany, has been seeking compensation of 465 million dollars for the terminal project and the case is currently under international arbitration in Washington.

Piatco, which has asked the government to reimburse the money spent to build the terminal, has a separate arbitration case in Singapore.

The terminal, which was designed to handle 13 million passengers every year, was originally scheduled to open in late 2002 to ease passenger traffic at the two existing terminals at Manila's airport.

The government said in December that it was taking over the terminal and would start operating it when it was fully completed.

Manila had initially offered a down payment to the consortium for the terminal but the Supreme Court later suspended this payment. A case on the expropriation has also been filed in the Supreme Court.- AFP

Copyright © 2005 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.

next year pa?!??!



tsk tsk tsk.. so disheartening..

kailan ba talaga???? ang tagal na baka pag bukas nyan bgo na ang presidente ny pilipinas

sorry skylinepigeon,
i am not capable of tagalog. can you translate please ?
philpal

Shame on you Richard Fischer. joke, i have a hard time reading as well. I blame it on my parents. They encouraged me stop speaking Tagalog when we arrived in the US, I was 6 then. :(
I get by pretty well though when conversing with people.

kailan ba talaga???? ang tagal na baka pag bukas nyan bgo na ang presidente ny pilipinas

for richard fischer...

when will it be??? it's too long that by then the Philippines might have a new president already..

filipino parents here in america dont want thier kids to know filipino cause they think its a second class culture and language. the colonial mentality is very strong for this filipinos, who come to america to stay for good. since most of the filipinos who come to america are fr the middle class and poor section, maybe thats the cause for this colonial thinking?

thanks pau p1.
for everyones information. i am not a filipino. i am german. my interest for the philippines is on behalf of my youth. i was born in manila and lived there for the first 12 years of my life. as a former pupil of de la salle college first in taft, then in green hills, i was exempted from tagalog lessons because i had to take german lessons instead. as there was no possibility of learning german in any school, i had extra lessons after school every day. as this was a lot (german is quite a comlicated language), my parents decided to exempt me from tagalog lessons. that is why i do not speak your mother tongue. sorry for that. nevertheless i love the philippines, and am proud of having grown up there !
for those who want to know more about me :
www.richardfischer.net
philpal

filipino parents here in america dont want thier kids to know filipino cause they think its a second class culture and language. the colonial mentality is very strong for this filipinos, who come to america to stay for good. since most of the filipinos who come to america are fr the middle class and poor section, maybe thats the cause for this colonial thinking?

Wrong assumptions and it does not pertain to all parents of Philippine descent living in the US. I have a sister who has two sons 18 and 15. Both of them does not speak Tagalog but that doesnt mean my sister avoid conversing to them in Tagalog nor does she avoid talking about our country with them. One of them was born in the US while the older one moved here when he was just a toddler.
It will be a lot easier for them to assimilate in American society if they speak the English language fluently and definitely without accents. American society can be really cruel and I dont think my sister would want them to experience such discrimination.

As far as culture we try to talk to them about the Philippines and they love having Philippine dishes for meals. As a matter of fact my 15 yr old nephew loved the Goldilocks Coconut Pie I bought just recently. I also show pictures of my vacation in the Philippines and they are eager to know more about it.

Just a thought for you!!

Pearl of the Orient Seas - The Philippines (http://community.webshots.com/user/jbkayaker12)

does anyone know what is wrong with the websites of MIAA and MCIAA ? i cannot get in MIAA since some time now, and MCIAA is incomplete and sometimes not responcive either.

does anyone know what is wrong with the websites of MIAA and MCIAA ? i cannot get in MIAA since some time now, and MCIAA is incomplete and sometimes not responcive either.

does anyone know what is wrong with the websites of MIAA and MCIAA ? i cannot get in MIAA since some time now, and MCIAA is incomplete and sometimes not responcive either.

they had bandwidth problem.

nice pix phil

Vol. XVIII, No. 241-A
Saturday, July 2, 2005 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Today’s Headline

Officials of Japanese airport builder Takenaka Corp. are flying to Manila to sign an agreement with the government for the completion of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3).

This is despite claims by NAIA-3 developer Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco) that any agreement between Takenaka and the government will violate the contractor’s deal with Piatco.

Government sources said Takenaka would sign the contract to complete the construction of NAIA-3 at "50% lower" than its bargaining price of $106 million.

The contract will also protect Takenaka from any lawsuit the government may file against Piatco.

The Supreme Court in May 2003 already declared illegal the contract between the government and Piatco for the construction of NAIA 3.

But refuses to give up the facility until it is first reimbursed for project expenses. This forced the government to exercise its right of eminent domain. It sued in December 2004 to expropriate NAIA 3.

Piatco wants $625 million, but the government is offering only $300 million.

The contract signing will allow Takenaka to complete the construction of NAIA 3, and thus pave the way for its full operation by December, as promised by Malacanang.

Piatco, where Takenaka is also a minority shareholder, had brought its case against the government to international arbitration panels.

Takenaka has built international airports in Abu Dhabi, Colombo, Bali, Japan, Malaysia, Mombasa, and Singapore.- -- Kerlyn G. Bautista

Vol. XVIII, No. 241-A
Saturday, July 2, 2005 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Today’s Headline

Officials of Japanese airport builder Takenaka Corp. are flying to Manila to sign an agreement with the government for the completion of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3).

This is despite claims by NAIA-3 developer Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco) that any agreement between Takenaka and the government will violate the contractor’s deal with Piatco.

Government sources said Takenaka would sign the contract to complete the construction of NAIA-3 at "50% lower" than its bargaining price of $106 million.

The contract will also protect Takenaka from any lawsuit the government may file against Piatco.

The Supreme Court in May 2003 already declared illegal the contract between the government and Piatco for the construction of NAIA 3.

But refuses to give up the facility until it is first reimbursed for project expenses. This forced the government to exercise its right of eminent domain. It sued in December 2004 to expropriate NAIA 3.

Piatco wants $625 million, but the government is offering only $300 million.

The contract signing will allow Takenaka to complete the construction of NAIA 3, and thus pave the way for its full operation by December, as promised by Malacanang.

Piatco, where Takenaka is also a minority shareholder, had brought its case against the government to international arbitration panels.

Takenaka has built international airports in Abu Dhabi, Colombo, Bali, Japan, Malaysia, Mombasa, and Singapore.- -- Kerlyn G. Bautista

its nice to hear of concrete news such as this instead of completion dates pulled out of someone's ass :)

its nice to hear of concrete news such as this instead of completion dates pulled out of someone's ass :)

On the recent press release above, just wondering if they meant December of 2105 instead of December 2005 on the opening of the airport. Hehhehehe

taken from philstar.com... could this finally be THE date??

Government resets NAIA-3 opening to November
By Marichu Villanueva
The Philippine Star 07/05/2005

After failing to meet its self-imposed deadline, the government now hopes to finally open the mothballed new terminal of Ninoy Aquino International Airport in November.

The Arroyo administration had hoped to begin operating the sprawling facility in June. It took over the NAIA Terminal 3 from Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco), the consortium that built it.

The Manila International Airport Authority will sign two out-of-court agreements with Japanese construction firm Takenaka Corp. this month that will clear the way for preparations on the terminal to begin.

"The two agreements would be ready for signing by the second week of July," an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The STAR.

"Once these two agreements are signed, our estimate is within the next three to four months, or by November, we can open NAIA-3 to full commercial operations," the official said.

The government failed to meet its self-imposed June deadline because of its legal dispute with Piatco over the terminal. It was expropriated by the government in December after a court order was issued.

Piatco, which is contesting the expropriation in court, had threatened to sue airlines and other businesses that set up operations at the terminal while the case is ongoing, causing delays in the opening of the terminal.

The government is trying to secure the services of Takenaka, a Piatco subcontractor, which has the blueprints of the terminal.

Takenaka initially hesitated, however, because of the unresolved legal dispute.

The new terminal was completed in 2002 but its opening had been delayed by a squabble between Piatco and its German partner, giant airport operator Fraport AG.

The facility was further delayed that year when President Arroyo abrogated Piatco’s government contract over the terminal, citing anomalies.

In 2003, the Supreme Court nullified the contract, saying Piatco was not qualified to bid for it and that one-sided provisions in its favor were inserted after the contract was signed.

That prompted the government to seek court permission to take over the terminal.

In December, Pasay City regional trial court judge Henrick Gingoyon granted the government’s petition to expropriate the terminal.

good news... I just really, really hope nothing else will get in the way of this. if things finally work out as they plan, NAIA-T3 can be opened up to the 2005 SEAG athletes...!

T 3 opening nov, 2005 :
does anyone know, have the contracts been signed ?

"The two agreements would be ready for signing by the second week of July," an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The STAR.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT !!!

hmmm... well I hope this is final.....

Wow. Another 'announcement' huh? I'll just wait until it really opens. I don't want to believe with the gov'ts promises anymore. =/