Pulong files bill renaming NAIA to Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas
Published Jun 25, 2020 12:00 am
By Ellson Quismorio
House leaders, led by Deputy Speaker and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, have filed a bill that would rename the current Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) into the Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas.
Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo Duterte (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
“We need a more representative branding for the international gateway of our country, thus our proposal renaming NAIA to the Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas. Aside from bearing our country's name, it is in our national language,” Presidential son Rep. Duterte said in a statement Thursday.
The proposal is embodied in House Bill (HB) No. 7031, filed by Rep. Duterte and fellow ranking solons Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and ACT-CIS Party-List Rep. Eric Go Yap.
“We want it (national airport) to reflect the legacy of the Filipino people, our everyday heroes. The name bears no color, no political agenda. It only signifies our warmth as Filipinos in welcoming our own kababayans and foreign visitors,” said Pulong in further justifying the bill.
The Mindanaoan noted that it was in 1987 when the erstwhile Manila International Airport (MIA), the biggest airport in the country, was renamed NAIA through Republic Act (RA) No. 6639. This was in honor of Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., who was assassinated at Terminal 1 of the airport on August 21, 1983.
The late Sen. Aquino is the husband of the late former president Corazon “Cory” Aquino (who served from 1987 to 1992) and father of former president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III (2010 to 2016). Noynoy is the immediate predecessor of President Duterte.
Velasco, the Energy Committee chairman, said HB No.7031 is part of the efforts to reposition the Philippines as a choice tourist destination once the COVID-19 pandemic is over and travel restrictions are lifted.
“Renaming it to Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas will not only benefit and bolster our brand as a destination hub, but will also strengthen the country’s identity,” said Velasco, a close friend of Rep. Duterte and his sister, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
“I am confident that by doing so, it will provide us a competitive edge as our neighbors open their doors, too, to visitors. Changing the name of NAIA to Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas gives every Filipino a great sense of pride and ownership of the country’s biggest and largest international airport,” he added.
For his part, Appropriations panel chairman Yap said the proposed new name of the county's main gateway would give returning Filipinos a sense of home immediately upon arrival.
“Gusto natin na paglapag pa lang ng eroplano dito, pangalan na agad ng bansa natin ang bubungad sa ating mga balik-bayan pati sa mga turista mula sa ibang bansa. Ating iparamdam sa kanila na sila ay nakauwi na sa kanilang tahanan (We want returning expatriots and tourists to see the name our country upon landing here. Let's make them feel a sense of home)," he said.
"Marami naman na personalidad na karapat-dapat rin na sa kanila ipangalan ang institusyon, daan, at iba pa. Pero pagdating sa ating paliparan, dapat ay sumalamin ito sa bansa at sa sambayanang Pilipino (There may be personalities who deserves to be named after institutions, roads, and the like. But when it comes to our airport, it should mirror the country and the Filipinos themselves),” the party-list solon noted.
Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo Duterte (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
“We need a more representative branding for the international gateway of our country, thus our proposal renaming NAIA to the Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas. Aside from bearing our country's name, it is in our national language,” Presidential son Rep. Duterte said in a statement Thursday.
The proposal is embodied in House Bill (HB) No. 7031, filed by Rep. Duterte and fellow ranking solons Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and ACT-CIS Party-List Rep. Eric Go Yap.
“We want it (national airport) to reflect the legacy of the Filipino people, our everyday heroes. The name bears no color, no political agenda. It only signifies our warmth as Filipinos in welcoming our own kababayans and foreign visitors,” said Pulong in further justifying the bill.
The Mindanaoan noted that it was in 1987 when the erstwhile Manila International Airport (MIA), the biggest airport in the country, was renamed NAIA through Republic Act (RA) No. 6639. This was in honor of Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., who was assassinated at Terminal 1 of the airport on August 21, 1983.
The late Sen. Aquino is the husband of the late former president Corazon “Cory” Aquino (who served from 1987 to 1992) and father of former president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III (2010 to 2016). Noynoy is the immediate predecessor of President Duterte.
Velasco, the Energy Committee chairman, said HB No.7031 is part of the efforts to reposition the Philippines as a choice tourist destination once the COVID-19 pandemic is over and travel restrictions are lifted.
“Renaming it to Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas will not only benefit and bolster our brand as a destination hub, but will also strengthen the country’s identity,” said Velasco, a close friend of Rep. Duterte and his sister, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
“I am confident that by doing so, it will provide us a competitive edge as our neighbors open their doors, too, to visitors. Changing the name of NAIA to Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas gives every Filipino a great sense of pride and ownership of the country’s biggest and largest international airport,” he added.
For his part, Appropriations panel chairman Yap said the proposed new name of the county's main gateway would give returning Filipinos a sense of home immediately upon arrival.
“Gusto natin na paglapag pa lang ng eroplano dito, pangalan na agad ng bansa natin ang bubungad sa ating mga balik-bayan pati sa mga turista mula sa ibang bansa. Ating iparamdam sa kanila na sila ay nakauwi na sa kanilang tahanan (We want returning expatriots and tourists to see the name our country upon landing here. Let's make them feel a sense of home)," he said.
"Marami naman na personalidad na karapat-dapat rin na sa kanila ipangalan ang institusyon, daan, at iba pa. Pero pagdating sa ating paliparan, dapat ay sumalamin ito sa bansa at sa sambayanang Pilipino (There may be personalities who deserves to be named after institutions, roads, and the like. But when it comes to our airport, it should mirror the country and the Filipinos themselves),” the party-list solon noted.