Petilla’s real problems just starting

 Economy
Dec 292013
 
Petilla’s real problems just starting

I have no doubt Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla meant it when he said he will resign if he failed to reconnect the towns in Leyte and Eastern Samar to the power grid by Christmas Eve. But only three towns remain to be connected and that is definitely substantial compliance. ABS-CBN reports the three towns were connected by Friday last week. PNoy was right to reject his resignation. Indeed, P-Noy should hang on to Petilla. It is rare to have someone like him who is ready to put his job on the line towards the accomplishment of a goal. I have not personally met Petilla and initially dismissed him as just another politician. But he is showing himself to be a breed apart from many in P-Noy’s cabinet and key officials. How I wish this retired General Honrado would do a Petilla and put his job on the line on the issue of providing functioning air conditioners, working CCTVs and clean washrooms in all the NAIA terminals. Because he knows he is a bosom buddy of P-Noy (relative pa daw), all he has offered these past three years are excuses, a mountain of excuses. Kung hindi kaya ang trabaho, resign! But he seems to be kapalmuks to the core. Having worked at the Ministry of Energy, I understand the challenges that Petilla faces. We did well enough then because we had an exceptionally results oriented boss in Ronnie Velasco who took no excuses for failure. It was also martial law. Now, Petilla and the energy bosses after Read More …

Eyewitness in NAIA shooting tags mayor's rival in statement to NBI

 News
Dec 272013
 
Eyewitness in NAIA shooting tags mayor's rival in statement to NBI

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) already has in its possession a statement from a witness to last week’s assassination of Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur mayor Ukol Talumpa at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). According to a GMA News TV Live report Friday, the witness was just three feet away from Talumpa, his wife, and other members of his family when they were shot by a lone gunman five days before Christmas at the loading bay of the NAIA Terminal 3. “This witness saw the alleged gunman shoot the couple at close range, and that witness heard alleged gunman utter this ‘Mayor, mayor, para kay Kitty Nandang ito!’ Dinig na dinig daw ito at kilala ‘yung gunman,” Justice Secretary Leila De Lima told reporters Friday. Kitty is the nickname of former Labangan Mayor Wilson Nandang, Talumpa’s political rival who has been on the government watch list on drug traffickers. He is believed to be the leader of the Nandang-Afdal drug group. The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier said Talumpa may be the victim of a drug war in Zamboanga del Sur, noting his campaign against drug use. The DOJ is still studying the option of providing security to Talumpa’s family, the GMA News TV Live report said. De Lima said at least two witnesses would be put under the Witness Protection Program. Other than the mayor, Talumpa’s wife Lea, his nephew Salipudin Talumpa, and 18-month-old infant Phil Thomas Estoesta, who just happened to be near the target, were also Read More …

South African slapped with drug raps over cocaine haul at NAIA

 News
Nov 072013
 
South African slapped with drug raps over cocaine haul at NAIA

By Jerry E. EsplanadaPhilippine Daily Inquirer 2:56 pm | Thursday, November 7th, 2013 Customs chief Ruffy Biazon.  RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs filed drug smuggling charges before the Department of Justice against a South African national who was caught carrying 8.5 kilos of cocaine by alert BOC personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) two weeks ago. Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said they have filed criminal charges against suspected drug mule Debbie Reyneke, citing the Department of Finance-attached agency’s intensified campaign against the use of the country’s ports of entry in the illegal drug trade. “This should send a strong warning to international drug syndicates that the Philippines is not a place for illegal and hazardous drugs,” he said, stressing the BOC would not allow any foreign drug ring make the country one of their markets. In a statement, the former Muntinlupa City legislator also said the BOC would “prosecute and seek for the maximum penalties allowed by law to all those caught attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the country, if only to spare the lives of many young Filipinos.” “Reyneke’s arrest on October 23 upon her arrival from Dubai on board an Emirates flight was the result of the bureau’s enhanced intelligence network,” said Biazon. He disclosed that “Customs officials at the NAIA were already alerted of her arrival and the possibility of having illegal drugs in her luggage. When her bag was inspected, it yielded food packs containing a substance that tested Read More …

COA questions fund transfers in NAIA, MRT projects

 Entertainment
Jul 312013
 

MANILA, July 30 (Mabuhay) — State auditors had questioned the transfer of multi-billion government funds in connection with the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 System Capacity Expansion Project and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 Rehabilitation Project in 2011. In a report, the Commission on Audit (COA) questioned how the funds, totaling P5.602 […]

SMC taps DM Consunji for P10.5-B eng’g proj

 Economy
Jul 222013
 
SMC taps DM Consunji for P10.5-B eng’g proj

MANILA, Philippines – D.M. Consunji Inc., the construction unit of the Consunji family’s listed investment arm DMCI Holdings Inc., bagged a P10.5 billion engineering and  construction contract for the NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) expressway phase II project. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, DMCI said D.M. Consunji has signed an agreement with Vertex Tollways Development Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of San Miguel Holdings Corp., for the engineering, procurement and construction contract for a project that will link the capital’s main airport terminals to Entertainment City along Roxas Boulevard. When asked for comment, DMCI Holdings chief financial officer Herbert Consunji said the contract is worth around P10.5 billion. The contract involves about 2.2 kilometers of at grade works within the Entertainment City area and about five kilometer four-lane elevated and viaduct connecting to the existing Skyway. DMCI said the phase II works comprise the design and construction of the viaduct extension from the existing phase 1 to Roxas Boulevard, Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard and NAIA terminals 1 and 2 over the existing roads of Sales Road, Andrews Avenue, domestic airport road, NAIA road and Imelda Avenue and includes on and off ramps, connection ramps and provision of toll plazas. San Miguel had been given by the government until the end of the year to complete the detailed engineering for the toll road, which is estimated to cost around P15.52 billion. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Construction is expected to take approximately two years with full Read More …

HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE NAIA?

 News
Jun 072013
 
HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE NAIA?

Just like its infamous traffic gridlock, Manila’s airport woes have defied solution for the longest time. But if our officials are to be believed, there is a glimmer of hope, at least on the airport scene. (Forget the monstrous traffic jams on EDSA, they’re beyond salvation.) The Aquino administration is hell-bent on finding a long-term solution to Manila’s airport woes after numerous rehabilitation efforts at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have failed to uplift the gateway’s reputation as one of the world’s worst airports. Transportation and Communications Secretary Emilio Abaya said the government is studying several options on whether to rebuild NAIA into a modern facility or move the international airport somewhere else. In a speech before the Makati Business Club last April, Abaya said his department has submitted three proposals on the airport system to President Aquino and the Cabinet. The first option, Abaya said, involves a single airport system. Under this proposal, the government will end operations at NAIA and sell the property, and develop the Clark International Airport in Pampanga. The second option is the twin airport system, where the government will develop Clark while maximizing operations at NAIA through 2025. At the same time, the government will look at an alternative site for a new airport, preferably 25 kilometers or 30 minutes away from the NAIA. The third option is also a twin system, where the government will develop both Clark and NAIA, while considering an alternative airport. “Previously, the direction was to move all Read More …

San Miguel pays P11 billion for NAIA expressway project

 Economy
Jun 052013
 
San Miguel pays P11 billion for NAIA expressway project

MANILA, Philippines – The construction of the expressway for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) could now start after conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) gave the P11-billion upfront payment to the government for the project, a Palace official announced on Wednesday. The company released the upfront payment through the SMC Vertex Tollways Development Inc., according to Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda. San Miguel won the P11-billion bid last April 15 and a formal notice for award was given by the Department of Public Works and Highways to the company last May 6. Lacierda said  that with the payment, the project could start sometime in June. The proposed NAIA Expressway, which has a total length of 7.15 kilometers, will connect the airport’s Terminals I and II to Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard and the Entertainment City casino complex. The project has two phases: Phase II-A and Phase II-B. The Cabinet official said Phase II-A will be completed in time for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in 2015.  Phase II-A will connect NAIA Terminals I and II through an elevated tollway structure to Roxas Boulevard and the Entertainment City, he said. “Hopefully before APEC, that will be completed. There’s another phase which is II-B, which will connect the Skyway to the existing tollways,” Lacierda said.

IATA pushes single airport system for Phl

 Economy
May 052013
 
IATA pushes single airport system for Phl

MANILA, Philippines – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is pushing for the continued improvement of the operations of the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the establishment of an alternative gateway within the metropolis. Albert Tjoeng, IATA’s assistant director of corporate communications for Asia Pacific, said the organization is supporting a single airport solution that is easily accessible from the city.  “The priority for Manila is to maximize the effective capacity and throughput from the existing facilities.  IATA has provided guidance to the authorities in this regard, such as building rapid exit taxiways and better slot management. But there is a need to develop a long term solution to the airport needs of the Manila area,” Tjoeng said in an e-mail. Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya earlier said Malacañang is carefully studying three options including the possibility of shutting down and selling NAIA to reach a decision on whether the Philippines would adopt a single or twin airport system. Abaya said the first option involves a single airport system wherein the government would shut down and sell the congested NAIA and develop the Clark International Airport in Pampanga. The second option, he revealed, involves dual system wherein the government would develop Clark and at the same time maximize the operations of NAIA until 2025 while looking for an alternative site for a new airport that would be 25 kilometers or 30 minutes away from the existing gateway. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The DOTC Read More …

Gov't eyes dual NAIA-Clark system

 Economy
Apr 252013
 
Gov't eyes dual NAIA-Clark system

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) is considering a number of options for the Philippine airport system including the plans to develop two major gateways for the country. Speaking before the members of the Makati Business Club on Thursday, DOTC Secretary Joseph Abaya revealed three proposals, with the first one involving a single airport system.  With this scheme, the government will close the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and develop the Clark International Airport in Pampanga. The second option is to make a dual airport system, where the government will develop the Clark airport while maximizing operations at the NAIA through 2025 and also look for a new gateway site 30 minutes away from the said airport. The third option also involves a dual system, where the government will develop both the Clark airport and the NAIA, while considering an alternative airport.  “Previously, the direction was to move all NAIA’s current operations to Clark International Airport within the next 5 to 7 years. What is clear now is that we need Clark to absorb some of the traffic in NAIA,” Abaya said. Abaya noted that passenger demand keeps surging and in some places, two major airports are really needed. “That steadily increasing demand is what we expect for Manila, especially with the [Department of Tourism] doing so well in drawing tourists to the country. We will be seeking approval from the President to aggressively expand and promote Clark,” Abaya said. Abaya also clarified that the ongoing Read More …

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