Ridon tells NNIC: NAIA ceiling collapse vicitms deserve due compensation
At A Glance
- Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon says the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) must guarantee that the seven people injured by the ceiling collapse at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Good Friday, April 3 are given due compensation.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (PPAB)
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon says the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) must guarantee that the seven people injured by the ceiling collapse at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Good Friday, April 3 are given due compensation.
This, as authorities launched an investigation on the cause of the incident, which took place at the West Arrival Curb C of NAIA Terminal 1.
"The New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) must ensure that the seven injured individuals remain in stable condition and are provided with adequate financial compensation for the injuries they sustained as a result of the incident," Ridon said in a statement sent to House of Representatives reporters.
"We expect the House Committee on Transportation to conduct an inquiry into this matter at the soonest possible time," noted the lawyer-legislator.
He said the incident raised "serious concerns" regarding the level of maintenance of NAIA terminals "particularly as it occurred during an expected peak travel period in the lead-up to Holy Week".
Ridon said the NNIC should have conducted a comprehensive inspection of all terminal facilities in anticipation of increased passenger traffic.
NNIC must also clarify whether the collapsed ceiling panel was part of an old or newly installed structure, as this will determine whether liability is shared with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), the previous airport operator, he said.
"Nonetheless, as the current airport operator, NNIC bears ultimate responsibility for this incident," reckoned the Committee on Public Accounts chairman.
NNIC took over the operations of NAIA, the country's main gateway, in September 2024. The consortium is responsible for managing, upgrading, and modernizing NAIA.