Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s private operator said it is fast-tracking modernization efforts by starting construction on a fifth terminal next week, given the expected rise in passenger traffic to 54 million this year, aiming to complete the structure in two to three years.
NAIA accommodated about 51 million passengers last year, and the volume of travelers is projected to increase by 5 percent to 54 million this year—significantly exceeding the airport’s ideal capacity of 32 million to 34 million passengers, Lito Alvarez, general manager of New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC), said.
To address the increasing volume of passengers, NNIC will start the airport expansion with the construction of NAIA Terminal 5 after the Holy Week, Alvarez announced in a press briefing at NAIA Terminal 3 on Thursday, April 10.
Hotel to be demolished
NNIC is set to demolish the Philippine Village Hotel in Pasay by April 21. On that site will rise NAIA Terminal 5, which is expected to be completed within two to three years.
“By April 21, the Philippine Village Hotel will be demolished, right after the Holy Week. We are going to build a new terminal, that will be Terminal 5. It will probably be completed in two to three years,” Alvarez said in a mix of Tagalog and English.
The NAIA Terminal 5 will have a capacity to accommodate an additional 22 million to 30 million passengers yearly, according to NNIC.
Alvarez said that NNIC has scrapped plans to upgrade and reopen Terminal 4 due to safety concerns. Instead, a new terminal will be built to replace Terminal 4 at the site of the former international cargo terminal.
Meanwhile, during Holy Week, NNIC anticipates handling a higher passenger volume of 155,000 to 157,000 daily, up from around 140,000 per day during the same period last year.
During the press briefing, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon emphasized that, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive, all agencies must ensure safe and comfortable travel, particularly during Holy Week.
44 airports ready for Holy Week travelers
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines spokesperson Eric Apolonio told state-run People’s Television Network in an interview that all the 44 airports under CAAP are prepared to accommodate the anticipated surge in passenger volume this Holy Week.
The CAAP has also implemented a “no leave” policy for its employees to ensure the smooth travel of passengers, he added.
