(MANILA BULLETIN)
House Deputy Speaker and Batangas 6th district Rep. Ralph Recto is pushing for a "complete check-up" of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the country’s main gateway. This, after an embarrassing eight-hour power outage struck NAIA on Monday, May 1, causing the delay or cancelation of dozens of flights. "Sabi ng Department of Transportation (DOTr), magkakaroon ang NAIA ng electrical system audit. Kung maraming sakit, bakit hindi gawing complete check-up, para malapatan ng tamang lunas? (According to the DOTr, the NAIA will undergo an electrical system audit. If there are many ailments, why not make it a complete check-up so that we'll come up with the right cure?)" Recto said. "And whatever work to be done should be submitted as one package, so the remedies will not be several Band Aid of cures, but a wellness package," noted the former Senate President Pro Tempore. The Labor Day airport blackout lasted nearly eight hours. It brought back unsavory memories of the Jan. 1, 2023 NAIA power outage, which similarly pestered thousands of passengers. Recto believes that money isn't the problem with NAIA. "May pera naman kasi (There is money). NAIA is a corporate profit center for the government. It is not a charity." "The gross revenues of Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), which runs NAIA, in 2019 was P15.2 billion,"" he pointed out. Referring to the thorough airport check-up Recto said: "Dahil korporasyon ang MIAA, hindi na kailangan idaan sa Congress para mabigyan ng appropriation authorization (Since MIAA is a corporation, it need not seek appropriation authorization from Congress)." "And lastly, [DOTr] Secretary Jimmy Bautista has the experience and the expertise to undertake NAIA’s urgent to-do-list - the ones which are not cosmetic, but essential," he further said.