TOUCH DOWN

Written on Monday, June 30th, 2008 at 5:34 am | by RG Cruz

For pictures of the NAIA3, watch video on abs-cbn, abs-cbnnews.com and my personal multiply page on newsboy419.multiply.com. this post also appears on www.rgcruz.com and newsboy419.multiply.com

It was almost 3am when pal flight pr 105 touched down at the ninoy Aquino international airport and deplaned its passengers on terminal 3—-as the inaugural arrival flight on the brand new international passenger terminal.
The inaugural flight was timed to coincide with the arrival of president arroyo, the flight’s most prominent passenger, as she capped a ten day working visit to the United States of America
Upon deplaning the president was accorded arrival honors at the foyer where she was greeted by top government officials and well wishers of private passengers who shared the flight with the president.
The president then inspected the different facilities of the arrival area of the new terminal, as she went through the regular process arriving travellers go through at the airport. From the foyer she went to the immigration, from which she went to check out baggage from the carousel which was rushed in time for the inaugural arrival.
After that she witnessed the other passengers go through the same process, showing at times some irritation and questions about the processes of the airport as she went around the new arrival area.
The president then inspected the terminal’s  waiting area for well wishers of passengers which features a spacious waiting area with booths for food and duty free shopping.
The inaugural however doesn’t signal the actual start of operations of the airport.
NAIA3 Task Force Chief Mike Defensor says they can start the operations for domestic travel  with PAL Express and Cebu Pacific in as early as 2 weeks, while naia GM Alfonso Cusi said it may take 3 weeks. International Travel may start in 6 months time. However, government has yet to hear from both Flag Carrier Pal and the Allied Airlines which groups foreign carriers currently using Terminal 1 which of them will use the new terminal. If PAL sticks it out with terminal 2, then the allied carriers will get terminal 3.
The opening too is not without legal  questions. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita says the government cannot take full ownership of the new terminal unless it has satisfied the SC’s requirement of compensation for PIATCO, the contractor in the nullified contract for terminal 3. Cusi says they really intend to operate the airport as the 3 Billion peso proferred  amount of the airport that needs to be paid out to piatco before the government can take full control of the airport. However, this amount being a proferred amount, is not yet a final value.
Defensor on the other hand maintains they can now operate the airport so long as government doesn’t not exercise “acts of ownership” over the airport. Defensor could not go into the nitty gritty of this provision but gave an assurance that no matter how complicated this maybe—-it will not stand in the way of the government operating the airport.
Defensor notes, in its decision nullifying the naia3 contract awarded to piatco, the court did not specificy or define what are acts of ownership. It was almost 3am when pal flight pr 105 touched down at the ninoy Aquino international airport and deplaned its passengers on terminal 3—-as the inaugural arrival flight on the brand new international passenger terminal.
The inaugural flight was timed to coincide with the arrival of president arroyo, the flight’s most prominent passenger, as she capped a ten day working visit to the United States of America
Upon deplaning the president was accorded arrival honors at the foyer where she was greeted by top government officials and well wishers of private passengers who shared the flight with the president.
The president then inspected the different facilities of the arrival area of the new terminal, as she went through the regular process arriving travellers go through at the airport. From the foyer she went to the immigration, from which she went to check out baggage from the carousel which was rushed in time for the inaugural arrival. The president was supposed to check her own luggage out of the new carousel but her aides took care of it instead.
After that she witnessed the other passengers go through the same process, showing at times some irritation and questions about the processes of the airport as she went around the new arrival area.
The president then inspected the terminal’s  waiting area for well wishers of passengers which features a spacious waiting area with booths for food and duty free shopping.
The inaugural however doesn’t signal the actual start of operations of the airport.
NAIA3 Task Force Chief Mike Defensor says they can start the operations for domestic travel  with PAL Express and Cebu Pacific in as early as 2 weeks, while naia GM Alfonso Cusi said it may take 3 weeks. International Travel may start in 6 months time. However, government has yet to hear from both Flag Carrier Pal and the Allied Airlines which groups foreign carriers currently using Terminal 1 which of them will use the new terminal. If PAL sticks it out with terminal 2, then the allied carriers will get terminal 3.
The opening too is not without legal  questions. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita says the government cannot take full ownership of the new terminal unless it has satisfied the SC’s requirement of compensation for PIATCO, the contractor in the nullified contract for terminal 3. Cusi says they really intend to operate the airport as the 3 Billion peso proferred  amount of the airport that needs to be paid out to piatco before the government can take full control of the airport. However, this amount being a proferred amount, is not yet a final value, which means the government may still owe Piatco more depending on the final determination of the new terminal’s value.
Defensor on the other hand maintains they can now operate the airport so long as government doesn’t not exercise “acts of ownership” over the airport. Defensor could not go into the nitty gritty of this matter but gave an assurance that no matter how complicated this maybe—-it will not stand in the way of the government operating the airport.
Defensor notes, in its decision nullifying the naia3 contract awarded to piatco, the court did not specificy or define what are acts of ownership are over the airport. Defensor however also disclosed that common friends and some congressmen have sent feelers from Piatco on a possible amicable settlement of the ownership dispute.
Following staunch criticism over her insistence on going to the US despite problems brought by Typhoon Frank and the sinking of the MV princess of the Stars, President Arroyo hit the ground running and proceeded to work upon her early morning arrival at the new NAIA3.
From the airport, she motored to the adjacent Villamor Airbase where she checked on the progress of disaster relief operations. She also saw off a c130 flight to Aklan which has now emerged as the top disaster ravaged area in terms of number of casualties.
In her own public discussion with disaster relief officials, the president noted that the Philippine Constitutional Association has said that the constitution doesn’t bar the entry of the nuclear powered relief ships and aircraft from the US intended for relief efforts. The 1987 charter bans nuclear power in the country.
Defense Secertary Gilbert teodor however clarified before reporters that the issue is moot since the ship isn’t even entering the Philippines since the US is sensitive to the laws of countries. The ship is staying at a distance near enough to be a launching pad for relief efforts. The US P3 plane from the non nuclear veseel USS Stockham has already been made to fly to the wreck of the MV princess of the stars to look for bodies which it then radios to a rescue chopper from the nuclear powered aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan from HK.

3 reasons why Gloria just couldn’t come home.
Bush. Obama and Mccain.
All 3 are insurances for her poltical present and future. Vows of support from all 3 give her a strong pillar for the remainder of her term as  whether we care to admit it or not, the Great White (Black in Obama’s case) Father still holds some sway in this country. Even Obama’s alleged snub—giving her just a phone  call is cannot be discounted as it came with the most  important statement of all, “
I look forward to working with her in the years to come.”

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About The Author: RG Cruz is a reporter and a correspondent for ABS-CBN. He blogs at RG Cruz

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One Response to “TOUCH DOWN”

  1. Manuel L. Quezon III: The Daily Dose » Blog Archive » If you can’t beat ‘em, distract ‘em on July 3rd, 2008 5:19 pm

    […] linked to ‘Garci’ behind mystery firm in Pagcor ‘Tourism City’ . Another case in point: even a glowing account of the President’s arrival by RG Cruz can’t help but bring up the administration’s penchant for nocturnal derring-do (the […]

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